WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt (MA-10), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and will conduct a joint hearing titled, “Rendition to Torture:  The Case of Maher Arar,” on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 2:00 P.M.

Maher Arar, a Canadian, is a victim of the U.S. practice of “extraordinary” rendition, wherein individuals are transferred to other countries, by or with the involvement of the U.S., for the purpose of harsh interrogation.  Mr. Arar was detained at JFK Airport while transiting through the United States to his home in Canada and sent to Syria, where he was imprisoned for almost a year and tortured.  Syria released him without charge, and a Canadian commission subsequently exonerated Mr. Arar of any link to terrorism.   

WHAT: Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Joint Hearing: “Rendition to Torture: The Case of Maher Arar”

WHO: Maher Arar, (Via videoconference);
Kent Roach, Esq., Prichard-Wilson Chair, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto (Via videoconference);
Frederick P. Hitz, Esq., Lecturer and Senior Fellow, Center for National Security Law,
University of Virginia School of Law;
Daniel Benjamin, Director, Center on the United States and Europe and Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, the Brookings Institution; and
David D. Cole, Esq., Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center;

 

WHEN:   Thursday, October 18, 2007, 2 P.M.

WHERE:  2172 Rayburn House Office Building 

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