MEDIA RELEASE - New Democrats call for bolder action in response to russian war crimes

“The world is watching in horror as reports emerge from Ukraine about the discovery of a mass grave in the city of Bucha,” said McPherson. “300 bodies, many of them women and children, have been found further confirming that crimes against humanity and war crimes are being committed by the Russian federation. In addition to the unconscionable killing of civilians, reports are also emerging about sexual violence against women and children by the Russian military. These heinous acts demand action. Vladimir Putin and the Russian military must not be allowed to get away with this.”
McPherson’s motion calls on Parliament to support increased aid to Ukraine so that Ukrainians can defend themselves against these horrific events, accountability for these actions at the International Criminal Court, as well as increased punitive measures like stronger trade restrictions and economic sanctions.

April 4th, 2022

New Democrats call for bolder action in response to russian war crimes

OTTAWA– Later this afternoon, NDP Foreign Affairs Critic, Heather McPherson, is asking for support from all Parliamentarians to condemn war crimes in Ukraine. McPherson is moving a Unanimous Consent Motion following the discovery of a mass grave containing the bodies of women and children in Bucha, Ukraine.

“The world is watching in horror as reports emerge from Ukraine about the discovery of a mass grave in the city of Bucha,” said McPherson. “300 bodies, many of them women and children, have been found further confirming that crimes against humanity and war crimes are being committed by the Russian federation. In addition to the unconscionable killing of civilians, reports are also emerging about sexual violence against women and children by the Russian military. These heinous acts demand action. Vladimir Putin and the Russian military must not be allowed to get away with this.”

McPherson’s motion calls on Parliament to support increased aid to Ukraine so that Ukrainians can defend themselves against these horrific events, accountability for these actions at the International Criminal Court, as well as increased punitive measures like stronger trade restrictions and economic sanctions.

New Democrats are also echoing calls made by the United States government for Russia to be removed as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

“Women and children are being targeted, abused and murdered. Russia’s conduct toward innocent civilians cannot be tolerated by members of the international community,” said McPherson. “There has to be a strong, unified reaction to these war crimes and more must be done to stop Russia. I hope that all Parliamentarians will support my motion this afternoon and stand up for Ukrainians who are facing these deplorable human rights abuses.”

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In the morning of August 31, Egyptian journalist Hossam el-Hamalawy received an email from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), informing him that it had made a “u-turn” and reversed its decision to deny him entry to Canada.

The reversal came in response to a coordinated solidarity campaign that successfully pressured IRCC, Canada’s department of immigration, to change course.

Almost two weeks earlier, on August 18, IRCC rejected el-Hamalawy’s application for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which is required for German citizens to visit Canada. An Egyptian exile and refugee, el-Hamalawy resides in Berlin and has German citizenship. His eTA application was to attend two public speaking engagements in September at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada.

IRCC initially rejected el-Hamalawy’s eTA application after requesting three times that he provide official documents from the Egyptian government that corroborate his experience of detention and torture under the regime.

In Toronto, the Executive Director of REDWORD.ca, Mostafa Al-A’sar, prepared an open letter to Minister Diab signed by prominent labour leaders, journalists, and human rights activists, including Mostafa Fouad, Executive Director of HuMENA for Human Rights; Ehab Lotayef, founding member of Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy; Judy Rebick, feminist and journalist; and Sid Ryan, former President of the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Other activists launched an email campaign, which encouraged supporters to send letters to Minister Diab and her Parliamentary Secretary, Liberal Member of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos (London Centre), as well as their own Members of Parliament. Letters were sent from across Canada, including Halifax, Nova Scotia (Diab’s home riding) and London, Ontario (Fragiskatos’s home riding). Activists in the United States, Britain, and Europe also shared the email appeal.

In addition to the appeal, activists organized two emergency phone actions, which delivered over 200 voicemail messages to Diab, Fragiskatos, and dozens of Members of Parliament.

Finally, on August 31, Jenny Kwan shared her own open letter to the Minister, which echoed all the demands of the solidarity campaign.

*Click image or link to read the article - https://springmag.ca/international-solidarity-works-hossam-el-hamalawy-wins-entry-to-canada

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