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3 YEARS... AND STILL WAITING FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE FOR ANAS

A vigil to commemorate the life of Anas Bennis, killed 3 years agoby Montreal Police

 
Early in themorning of December 1, 2005, Anas Bennis was on his way home followingmorning prayers in a nearby mosque in his neighbourhood ofCôte-des-Neiges when he was shot twice by Montreal police officerYannick Bernier who was taking part in an unrelated police interventionalong with officer Jonathan Roy. Anas was pronounced dead on arrival tothe hospital.
 
Now, almostthree years later, the Bennis family and the public are hardly anycloser to understanding exactly why Anas, a young Canadian man ofMoroccan origin who was described as a mild-mannered and sensitiveperson, was killed by the Montreal police that morning. The Bennisfamily has been met with disrespect and disdain on the part ofgovernment bodies in their multiple attempts to ascertain very basictruths of what happened that morning when their beloved son and brotherdied. A troubling veil of secrecy continues to cloud the circumstancessurrounding Anas' death.
 
In June2008, Quebec's chief coroner, Louise Nolet, announced that she hadordered a coroner's inquiry into Anas' death. Although this was not afull, independent and public inquiry as the Justice for Anas Coalitionhas been demanding since its formation in January 2007, it wasnevertheless an important, albeit partial, victory. The decision toorder the coroner's inquiry surely came as a result of the publicpressure campaign led by the Justice for Anas Coalition, whose threedemands have been endorsed by more than 30 organisations, over the past2 years. However, in August 2008, the Montreal Police Brotherhood fileda legal action suing the Bennis family and coroner CatherineRudel-Tessier – who was to preside over the coroner's inquiry – withthe goal of having the coroner's inquiry cancelled. The Bennis familyhas already filed a motion to have the Brotherhood's lawsuit dismissed,but it is imperative that the Brotherhood as well as municipal andprovincial governments are reminded that the public support for theJustice for Anas campaign remains strong, and that the Brotherhood'sattempts at preventing the truth from coming out will not gounchallenged. If the police have nothing to hide, why not simply allowthe coroner's inquiry to proceed?
 
Together, onDecember 1, 2008, let us commemorate the life of Anas, and send a clearmessage to the Montreal Police Brotherhood that we will not rest untilthey cease their attempts at obstructing justice – in this case, byblocking the coroner's inquiry from proceeding. Let us also continue topressure the Minister of Public Security and of Justice, JacquesDupuis, to order a full, independent and public inquiry into the deathof Anas Bennis. Please come out in large numbers to support the demandsof the Justice for Anas Coalition.
 
JOIN US TO HELP ORGANIZE AND MOBILIZEFOR JUSTICE!!
TRUTH AND JUSTICE FOR ANAS!!
 

The Justicefor Anas Coalition's demands are the following:
 

1. Theimmediate release of all reports, evidence and information concerningthe death of Anas Bennis to the Bennis family and to the public;
2. Afull, public and independent inquiry into the death of Anas Bennis;
3. An endto police brutality and impunity

The Justice for Anas Coalition
514.342.2111
justicepouranas@gmail.com