Lawyer for Canadian detained in Sudan balks at proposed delay in court action
OTTAWA — Advocates for a Montreal man who is suing the federal government over his detention and treatment in Sudan are crying foul over what they are calling a new, unjustified delay in the case.
Lawyer Paul Champ says the Justice Department will ask a Federal Court judge on Monday to indefinitely adjourn the civil trial launched by Abousfian Abdelrazik while it seeks a review by another judge of the evidence disclosed in the case so far.
Abdelrazik is suing the Canadian government for an apology and compensation over his lengthy overseas detention, claiming that he was tortured by Sudanese intelligence officials.
Champ told a news conference Friday he received a letter from Justice this week calling for a review of thousands of pages of material under national security provisions of the Canada Evidence Act.