CUPW has made a decision to violate the United Nations 1267 list by hiring Mr. Abousfian Abdelrazik for one day.  By doing so, we are breaking the law.

Mr. Abdelrazik is a dual Sudanese–Canadian citizen.  He went to Sudan to visit his sick mother and was arrested by the Sudanese authorities.  Eventually released and cleared of all suspicion by Sudan, and even by the RCMP and CSIS in late 2007, his many attempts to return home to Montreal were repeatedly blocked.

In 2006, Abdelrazik's name was placed on the UN 1267 list by the Bush administration.  The 1267 list imposes a travel ban and a total asset freeze on listed individuals.  Mr. Abdelrazik was not told that he was being placed on the list, was not told why he was on the list, and was given no opportunity to defend himself.

In an attempt to draw attention to his plight, Mr. Abdelrazik went public with his story in April 2008 and was granted 'temporary safe haven' in the Canadian Embassy in Khartoum.  He remained there for fourteen months as Canadian officials continued to find ways of keeping him out of the country.   This issue went to court.

On 4 June 2009, Justice Russel Zinn found that the Federal Government’s action were abusive and in violation of Abdelrazik's rights, and ordered the government to repatriate Abdelrazik without delay.  On 27 June 2009, Mr. Abdelrazik returned to Montreal and was reunited with his family at last.

Mr. Abdelrazik needs to get his name off the UN's 1267 list - that is, getting his life back to normal.

Regulations implementing this list prohibit anyone from providing Abdelrazik with any material aid - including salary, loans of any amount, food or clothing - even health insurance.  In brief, being on this list means that he is denied the basic essentials of life.

The Federal Government has stated that Mr. Abdelrazik should be off the UN 1267 list, but is not doing much to get him removed.

The UN 1267 list is unjust.  Individuals are not notified prior to being placed on the list.  They are not given a hearing where they could respond to the information used to place them on the list. 

This is why CUPW is joining with the Canadian Labour Congress and other unions in breaking the law to hire Mr. Abdelrazik.  We are also asking CUPW Locals to “hire” Mr. Abdelrazik for a day.  Details can be found on the following website http://www.peoplescommission.org/en/abdelrazik/ or http://www.peoplescommission.org/fr/abdelrazik/index.php.