Bashir Makhtal

Bashir Ahmed Makhtal (Somali: Bashiir Axmed Makhtal) is a Canadian citizen formerly held in an Ethiopian prison, where he was accused of terrorism and faced the death penalty.[1][2] The Canadian government was criticized by several groups for its initial inaction on demanding Makhal's release, including Amnesty International.[3][4]

Bashir Makhtal
Born1977
Ethiopia
StatusFreed

Biography

Makhtal was born in Ethiopia to Somali parents, who had fled war-torn Somalia in 1972.[5] His grandfather was a founder of the rebel group Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which is classified as a terrorist organization by Ethiopia. In 1991, Bashir immigrated to Toronto, Canada, where he studied computer science at the DeVry Institute of Technology, later completing his bachelor's degree in Texas.[6] In 1994 he was granted Canadian citizenship, and was employed as a computer programmer by the Bank of Montreal and CIBC.[6]

In 2002, Makhtal travelled to the United Arab Emirates, from which he travelled to Djibouti, Kenya, Eritrea, and Somalia, selling clothing to support himself.[6][7] In 2006, after Ethiopia's militarily intervention in Somalia, Canadian Foreign Affairs advised Canadians in Somalia to flee the impending conflict.[8] Makhtal flew to neighboring Kenya, but was arrested during the flight. After spending three weeks in Nairobi jail,[7] Makhtal was extraordinarily renditioned to the Ethiopian-backed government in Somalia, which extradited him to Ethiopia.[3] Makhtal was accused of being a member of the ONLF based on the prior membership of his grandfather,[9][8] as well as collaborating with the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab. The Ethiopian government denied Makhtal representation in court by his Canadian lawyer, saying that Makhtal was already being represented by an Ethiopian lawyer.[10][11] The Ethiopian court found Makhtal guilty of being a member of the ONLF and working with the Eritrean government to organize the financing, recruiting, and training of ONLF militants.[12] Several reports claimed that Makhtal was tortured by interrogators while in prison,[13][14] though the Ethiopian government denied this.[15] In June 2007 he was able to have a letter delivered to his family.[8]

Throughout Makhtal's imprisonment, many people in Canada, including Makhal's family, called for his release. Makhtal's wife, Aziza Osman, campaigned for both his release and that of her uncle, who faced a similar renditioning.[16] In August 2009, Makhtal's Canadian lawyer announced that he would sue the Canadian government to force it to halt aid to Ethiopia unless Makhtal was released.[17] In December 2009, after the Ethiopian Supreme Court rejected Makhtal's appeal, his relatives in Canada asked Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to directly intervene in the case.[18]

On April 18, 2018, Makhtal was released from prison, and returned to Canada on April 21.[19][20]

Reactions

Canada

At the time of Maktal's imprisonment, the ruling Conservative Party was accused by the NDP and the Liberal party of not aiding non-white Canadians imprisoned in foreign countries.[5][21] After being assured of Maktal's well-being in March 2008, the Canadian government sent Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Ethiopia in June to inquire about Maktal's situation.[22][23] In February 2009, the Canadian government announced that it would seek Makhtal's release.[9]

Ethiopia

Responding to accusations of human rights violations, the Ethiopian government accused Western countries of not condemning the attacks of the Ogaden National Liberation Front.[24][25][26]

See also

References
  1. Thomas Walkom (June 14, 2007). "Double standard for Canadians in trouble abroad". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27. But if a Canadian is unlucky enough to run into trouble with a country that Ottawa does not wish to offend, it is a different story. In those cases, the government says little and does less. If the Canadian is unpopular or lacks media-savvy supporters, the government pays even less attention.
  2. Debra Black (2012-12-27). "Negotiations under way to bring imprisoned Bashir Makhtal back to Canada". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27.
  3. CBC, "Group worries execution close for Canadian held in Ethiopian jail Archived 2008-07-30 at the Wayback Machine", July 17, 2008
  4. "Call for action by Canada and Ethiopia on Canadian rendition case". Amnesty International. 2007-11-22. Archived from the original on 25 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  5. Jack Layton (January 24, 2007). "MacKay must intervene in case of Canadian held abroad: Bashir Makhtal case echoes those of Arar, Celil". New Democratic Party. Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  6. Friends and Family of Bashir Makhtal, Biography of Bashir Makhtal Archived 2008-07-05 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Debra Black (February 4, 2007). "Family fears for deported man's life: Kin queried as Somali-Canadian held in Ethiopia". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  8. Thomas Walkom (November 29, 2007). "Why is PM forgetting Makhtal?". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  9. Vancouver Sun, Conservatives pressure Ethiopia to free jailed Canadian Archived March 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, February 23, 2009
  10. Lorne Waldman (May 4, 2007). "Canadian Ethiopian". CBC Radio. Archived from the original on 2007-11-20. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  11. "Bashir appears in Ethiopian court with lawyer". Archived from the original on 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  12. "Canadian jailed for life". Archived from the original on 2009-08-07. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  13. Debra Black (May 21, 2007). "Where is Bashir Makhtal?". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27.
  14. "Ethiopian Canadian – Lawyer". CBC. April 11, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-06-02. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  15. "8 terrorism suspects put on Ethiopian TV". Archived from the original on 2009-09-30. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  16. "Kenya deports Somalis without trial". Al Jazeera. February 16, 2007. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
  17. "Lawsuit aims to compel Ethiopia to release Canadian". Archived from the original on 2009-08-08. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  18. ""Ethiopia strikes down appeal by imprisoned Canadian - Ottawa prepared to help after terror conviction, life sentence upheld"". Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  19. "Canadian citizen arrives back in Canada after 11 years in Ethiopian prison". Toronto Star. 21 April 2018. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  20. "Amnesty International Welcomes Canadian Citizen Bashir Makhtal's Release from Ethiopian Prison and Return to Canada". amnesty.ca. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  21. Sgro, Judy, Liberal Party of Canada, Hansard: 39: 2d Session Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine, June 19, 2008
  22. "Canadian Held in Ethiopia Could Face Death Penalty". Somali Herald. 2008-06-07. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2008-07-29. mirror
  23. "Canadian in Ethiopia terror case". BBC News. March 19, 2009. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  24. ONLF and "Terrorism double standards" Archived December 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  25. "Concerns of double standards with Makhtal case". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
  26. "concerns of double standards with Makhtal case". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
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