The Canadian government is flouting its international human rights obligations by failing to repatriate and provide adequate consular assistance to 47 citizens who are currently detained in northeast Syria because of alleged ties to the Islamic State, a new report from U.S.-based Human Rights Watch alleges. "Abandoning citizens to indefinite, unlawful detention in filthy, overcrowded and dangerous camps and prisons does not make Canada safer," said Letta Tayler, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the report. Human Rights Watch says the government should immediately bring home all its detained citizens to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into Canadian society and, where appropriate, prosecute anyone accused of a crime. Human Rights Watch says none of the Canadians have been charged with crimes in Canada, nor have Syrian authorities brought them before a court. (Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images)Some family members of the detainees told Human Rights Watch that Canadian authorities have not contacted their relatives to provide assistance since they've been imprisoned.

Source: CBC News June 29, 2020 09:56 UTC