By Canadian Press

Trudeau signals support for Hassan Diab as Ottawa professor appeals case in France

Mar 3, 2021 | 12:17 PM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is signalling Canada will stand up for an Ottawa sociology professor facing trial in France, after calls from human-rights advocates to intervene.

France recently ordered Hassan Diab to stand trial for a decades-old synagogue bombing in Paris, a move his lawyer called the latest misstep in a long odyssey of injustice.

Trudeau says the federal government is engaging with officials in France, adding it has been a priority for Canada to stand up for citizens with challenging countries and allies alike.

After drawn-out proceedings that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, Diab was extradited to France, where he spent three years behind bars, including time in solitary confinement.

In January 2018, French judges dismissed the allegations against him for lack of evidence and ordered his immediate release.

Made in Saskatchewan

Find My Plus One: The Canadian App for Getting Out and Living Your Best Life

Mar 09, 2026

Riderville

Ask Not for Whom the Ed Hervey Tampering Window Opens!

Feb 02, 2026

Seniors Scene

New Year - New Habits

Feb 02, 2026

Diab, 67, is now back with his wife and young children in Ottawa as his lawyers in France appeal the latest decision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2021.

The Canadian Press