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Client: Salim Alaradi
Lawyer: Paul Champ
Country of detention:
United Arab Emirates
P
aul Champ is an Ottawa-based litigator at Champ &
Associates with a focus on human rights and labour
law. He was hired in September 2015 by the family of
Libyan-Canadian businessman Salim Alaradi, who
had been arrested without charge in the United Arab
Emirates in August 2014.
Alaradi's family in Windsor, Ont. hired Champ after
receiving evidence that Alaradi was tortured in the early
months of his detention. Champ contacted the deputy min-
ister of Foreign Affairs and the head of consular affairs. By
mid-October 2015, consular officials were making weekly
visits to Alaradi.
In countries with poor human rights records, says
Champ, the most severe forms of abuse often occur within
the first few days or weeks of custody. "As soon as the foreign
government knows that there are people who are aware the
person is in custody and are prepared to publicize it, you are
minimizing the risk that abuse will take place."
After spending 17 months in prison — the first three
incommunicado — Alaradi was finally charged in January
2016 with funding and co-operating with two Libyan-based
terrorist organizations. He was brought before a judge in the
Salim Alaradi is greeted by family as he
arrives at Pearson International Airport
in Toronto on June 20, 2016.
NATHAN
DENETTE/
THE
CANADIAN
PRESS
Paul Champ is a litigator
at Champ & Associates in
Ottawa.
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