I am writing to ask you to sign a petition at https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-833 in support of an Ottawa resident who finds himself the victim of a very bizarre case of injustice that, if allowed to continue, will result in what his lawyer calls a classic case of wrongful conviction. Dr. Hassan Diab is an Ottawa university professor and father of two young Canadian children who has been jailed for over two and a half years in France as a result of a controversial and legally questionable extradition proceeding commenced by the previous Conservative government. Dr. Diab was sought by the French for a crime he did not commit. Dr. Diab’s finger prints, palm prints, physical description, and handwriting do not match those of the French suspect sought for a 1980 bombing in Paris that tragically killed four people. Dr. Diab has consistently denied involvement and condemned the violence, while French investigating judges have confirmed he was in Lebanon at the time of the bombing. Of critical concern is the fact that Dr. Diab has been ordered released on bail six times over the past year by investigating judges in charge of his case, but on each occasion, the Court of Appeal overturned all release orders at the prosecutor's behest. French lawyers have called this situation unprecedented, a political maneuver to look tough on terror even though a vast body of evidence shows Dr. Diab did not commit the crime. The inability of Dr. Diab to obtain release from a cell in which he is confined 22 hours a day – even while two investigative judges have called for such a judicially-sanctioned release recalls the frustrations of other Canadians wrongfully held overseas, such as journalist Mohamed Fahmy. In 2015, Prime Minister Trudeau issued a powerful statement on Mr. Fahmy’s behalf while in opposition, saying then Prime Minister Stephen Harper "has an obligation to use the full force of the Prime Minister’s Office to help Canadian citizens when they are unjustly imprisoned abroad. His inaction must end today.” By signing this petition at https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-833, you are adding pressure to call on Mr. Trudeau to do what he called on his predecessor to do: to end his inaction and use all the powers at his disposal to Bring Hassan Diab Home. Matthew Behrens