Here’s why Omar Khadr is getting $10M from the Canadian government

By Maham Abedi
Global News | July 4, 2017

The Canadian government is set to apologize, and give $10.5 million, to Omar Khadr — a Canadian who spent 10 years at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay.

The deal, revealed to The Canadian Press by an unnamed government official, was reportedly negotiated by Khadr’s lawyers last month.

Toronto-based lawyer, Warda Shazadi Meighen, who is not involved in the case, offered a deeper look into the government’s decision.

“The rule of law was violated,” Meighen told Global News, explaining that Khadr wasn’t given a fair trial.

The compensation and apology come after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2010 that Canadian intelligence officials obtained evidence from Khadr under “oppressive circumstances,” such as sleep deprivation, during interrogations at Guantanamo Bay in 2003.

“Canada has a history of recognizing and apologizing when it has made mistakes,” she added. “This settlement is a recognition of the fact that we have standards in Canada.”

She explained that because Khadr is a Canadian citizen, the country had a “higher threshold” of responsibilities, as opposed to the United States. The settlement is also in response to Khadr suing the Canadian government.

. . .

Tuesday’s news of the government’s compensation was praised by advocacy organizations.

Amnesty International welcomed word of the settlement, calling it long overdue. The statement was echoed by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

“It is the right decision in light of the callous and unlawful treatment meted out to Mr. Khadr with the complicity of Canadian officials,” NCCM’s executive director Ihsaan Gardee said in a news release Tuesday.

“Mr. Khadr’s ordeal reminds us that every Canadian has the right to be treated fairly and in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice and the rule of law.”

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