CAFE PROTEST TO SUPPORT POLITICAL PRISONER DR. JAMES SEARS JOINED BY FELLOW ACCUSED LEROY ST. GERMAINE, 80 YEARS YOUNG

(:E-:N-:R-AZ:C-30:V)   

[I received this from Paul Fromm in Canada. Jan]

TORONTO. August 8, 2021.The Canadian Association for Free Expression (CAFE) held a protest outside the Toronto South Detention Centre located at 160 Horner Ave, Toronto, ON M8Z 0C2, Sunday afternoon, August 8, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. and we were joined by his co-accused and fellow political prisoner, YOUR WARD NEWS publisher, Leroy St. Germaine, who was given a similar maximum sentence of one year, but was allowed to serve is under house arrest. Leroy was given this ferocious sentence despite the fact that he was 78 years old!

As of today, Dr. Sears has been in jail for over s weeks.
* In January, 2019, Dr. Sears, Editor, and Leroy St. Germaine, Publisher of the satirical tabloid YOUR WARD NEWS were convicted on two counts of “wilfully promoting hate” against privileged groups (Liberals & Women) in contravention of Canada’s notorious “hate law” – Sec. 319 of the Criminal Code. Each was sentenced to the maximum — unprecedented for a first time offender — of a year in jail. As Leroy is of Metis heritage, he was allowed to serve his sentence at home.

• In November, 2020, under protest, Dr. Sears and Leroy St. Germaine argued their appeal by Zoom

• On June 14, the appeal was denied and the sentences upheld. Dr. Sears was immediately ordered to prison and denied even a few hours to say goodbye to his wife and young son.

• From prison , Dr. Sears is seeking leave to appeal. A judge is studying the leave application and a parallel application for bail, pending the appeal. The process is ponderously slow.

• Dr. Sears is virtually incommunicado. He has contacted his wife or supporters only 12 in seven weeks and each call was extremely brief.

• For the past few weeks Dr. Sears has been in the infirmary, apparently to protect other prisoners from him because he won’t take the COVID vaccine.

• On July 29, we learned that Dr. Sears did not know that his Application for Leave to Appeal had been turned down — 13 days after the decision. Who is interfering with his mail? He also indicated that he’d received NONE of the many cards and letters sent to him.

• A welcome surge of recruits. CAFE support Nick brought out some members of Dr, Sears’ Greek community to stand by their countryman.

• CAFE exposed this outrage on Twitter, Facebook and on our webpage. Amazingly, on August 3, a bundle of the missing mail was given to him. He wants to express his delight and gratitude to all the people who wrote to him.

• Keep those letters coming.

* Amnesty International defines a “prisoner of conscience” or political prisoner as a person punished solely for the non-violent expression of their political, religious or cultural views. Both Dr. James Sears and Leroy St. Germaine are political prisoners — jailed because they criticized politically powerful minority groups.

• A lasting disgrace is that only one mainstream media writer has criticized this attack on freedom of the press, which they regularly condemn if it occurs in Hong Kong or the Philippines.

• For the past two weeks every Wednesday, videographer "Lily" has been holding a one-woman freedom protest outside the prison.

FREE POLITICAL PRISONER, DR. JAMES SEARS

PLEASE SEND POSTCARDS OR LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO ONE OF OUR MEN BEHIND THE WIRE.

Dr. James Sears, Political Prisoner,
Toronto South Detention Center,
160 Horner Ave,
Toronto, ON
M8Z 0C2
CANADA