Speeches from an August 28 rally against the detention, without criminal charges, of 19 Pakistani men
Producer: CKLN News Uploaded by:
On August 14, Toronto police and RCMP raided the homes of 19 young Pakistani men living in Toronto. A week later, the public was informed that the men were being detained without charge, on suspicion that they pose a threat to "national security". Two weeks later, their detention is being reviewed; so far, one man has been released on bail.
The men have denied any involvement in criminal activity. Their lawyers and community activists assert that the evidence against the men is extremely weak and in many cases, ignorant. For example, the Pakistani state of Punjab (where most of the men are originally from) is called a "hotbed" of Sunni extremism. Considering the dismal performance of religious political parties in Pakistan, and the weakness of the religious right there, this characterization is completely false. Police and media have described the lifestyle of men (for example, sharing apartments without furniture), and some visas problems, as grounds for suspicion that the men are involved in "terrorism".
On August 28, activists rallied outside the offices of Citizenship and Immigration in Toronto, to denounce the continued detention of these men, the climate of fear and hatred promoted by these police actions.
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