Cotler tabling of Grandmothers' Petition

Cotler Tables “Grandmothers’ Petition” for Captive Gilad Shalit

Ottawa, October 27, 2010 – The Honourable Irwin Cotler, MP and Critic for Human Rights, rose in the House of Commons today to table a petition on behalf of the “Grandmothers for Gilad Shalit” – grounded in the foundational principles of international humanitarian law and human rights – and protesting the illegal cross-border abduction of Gilad Shalit during the period of a ceasefire arrangement to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Seeking to draw the House of Commons’ attention to the violations of international humanitarian law, the Grandmothers’ Petition notes that Gilad Shalit has been denied all his most basic human rights including even verifiable proof of life, visitation rights by a relief agency, medical care and basic minimal communication with his family. Shalit has been held incommunicado for more than four (4) years.

Accordingly the Grandmothers’ Petition calls on the Canadian Government, the United Nations and international humanitarian relief agencies such as the Red Cross to:

· uphold the applicable standards of international humanitarian law, including proof of life, visitation rights and communication between him and his family as a bare minimum.
· condition Canadian aid transferred to Gaza on adherence to these basic principles: that the Palestinian Authority commit itself to Shalit’s repatriation and that Canada use its good offices to put an end to these violations of international humanitarian law to secure his release and return him to his family as a matter of fundamental decency and justice.


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For further information, please contact Howard Liebman at the office of the Honourable Irwin Cotler,(514) 283-0171 or Cotlei1@parl.gc.ca.