Mehrab and Johar's Struggle for Protection: Impact on Activists in Canada

Mehrab and Johar's Struggle for Protection: Impact on Activists in Canada

The concerns expressed in the statements shed light on the challenges faced by Mehrab and Johar while seeking protection due to their involvement in certain causes. Concerns surround Mehrab's case, particularly her possible support for the BLA, which has ties to extremism, raising questions about her safety and security.

Johar, feeling depressed due to the lack of concrete action on Mehrab's case, discovered a kill list, further lowering his morale. His search for protection led him to various law enforcement agencies, including the University of Toronto campus police, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), but he did not receive satisfactory support or practical protection.

This situation impacts activists in Canada who are not even part of the diaspora community but may be involved in certain activism, putting them at risk from domestic and international bad actors. The lack of specific support for individuals facing transnational repression in Canada can leave activists vulnerable to threats and harm.

These threats often involve the use of organized crime, corruption, and even exploitation of Canada’s own systems against activists. Tactics may include leveraging private security or organized crime groups. For instance, China has been known to use private security in South America. These threats may extend to serious measures such as assassinations, as evidenced by the recent killing of a Khalistani activist in Surrey, British Columbia.

Bad actors may not bring people over from another country to carry out their plans; instead, they often hire locals, making the threat more pervasive and harder to detect. These actors also use local communities to intimidate, harass, and attack activists, layering threats and creating more danger.

CSIS provides a telephone number and an online form for reporting concerns, but there is no targeted outreach for those threatened by foreign interference. Public Safety Canada directs individuals to general service numbers, which may not offer the specific support dissidents and activists need.

The situation reveals a gap in Canada's judicial system and law enforcement's ability to protect its citizens from foreign threats. This gap, combined with a cultural tendency to underestimate such threats, hampers the effective safeguarding of individuals facing transnational repression, organized crime, and corruption, leaving not only those in the diaspora community but also other activists at risk.

Another tactic used against activists includes Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) to silence journalists, whistleblowers, and activists, using the legal system to harass and intimidate them.

Moreover, threats to activists can extend to attempts to discredit them by making them look suspicious, framing them, or subjecting them to arbitrary detention or forced treatment using mental health claims.

Private security's lack of proper regulation and differing jurisdictional standards make it susceptible to infiltration by organized crime or corrupt practices. This poses a threat not only to activists but also to Canada’s national security. Instances of private security intimidating and harassing legal professionals and their families, as in the Winnipeg incident, demonstrate how these actors can compromise the legal system.

Furthermore, exploitation of government contracts and influence can allow organized crime, foreign governments, and corporations to manipulate decision-making processes, posing significant risks to Canada's national security.

Overall, there are significant challenges to ensuring the safety of activists in Canada due to threats from various sources, including organized crime, corrupt practices, and the exploitation of Canada's legal and security systems. These issues also pose serious risks to national security and require more effective strategies for protection and regulation.

 Reference Citations

- The Walrus: *When Political Asylum Is No Longer Safe*

https://thewalrus.ca/political-asylum-no-longer-safe/

-Dean Bordode, Human Rights' Defender 

This review of incorporates concerns about transnational repression, threats involving organized crime and corruption, and how bad actors exploit Canada's systems against activists. It also touches on the issues faced by activists who may not be part of the diaspora community but still face similar threats. By addressing these points, we capture the full scope of the risks and challenges faced by individuals like Mehrab and Johar.

#TransnationalRepression #CanadianActivism #SafetyConcerns #OrganizedCrime #Corruption #NationalSecurity #SLAPPs

---

Tweets by @bordode