On December 1, 2005, Mohamed Anas Bennis, a 25 year-old Canadian of Moroccan background, was shot and killed with two bullets fired by an SPVM officer at the corner of Kent and Côte-des-Neiges streets in Montreal. After over a year-and-a-half of going through the legal channels available to them and being treated with disrespect and disdain by the police and the various institutions of the government delegated to tend to this matter, the Bennis family came no closer to understanding the circumstances and reasons for Anas' death. The Justice for Anas Coalition, led by the Bennis family, came together in January of 2007, and has been actively mobilising community support around 3 principal demands to achieve justice:
1) the immediate release of all reports, evidence and information concerning the death of Anas Bennis to the Bennis family and to the public;
2) a full, public and independent inquiry into the death of Anas Bennis;
3) an end to police brutality and impunity.
To date, the campaign has been endorsed by over 30 groups and organisations in Montreal. The Coalition has organised a public assembly and two pickets while also sending various press releases to the media. Najlaa and Khadija Bennis, spokespeople for the Coalition, and Anas' sisters, have also made presentations and spoken at various community- and campus-based events. For more information about the Coalition's work, please visit our website at
http://www.justicepouranas.ca
At the present time, the Coalition is making an appeal for financial contributions to support our on-going efforts to have our demands met. While nobody involved with the Coalition is paid in any way, money is needed to buy materials for banners and signs, for press releases, photocopies, printing, and the various other expenses associated with our campaign.
You can make a donation by making a check payable to "Justice Pour Anas" (please make sure this is clearly written, in French) and sending it to:
The Justice for Anas Coalition
c/o The Immigrant Workers Centre
6420 Victoria
Montreal, QC
H3W 2S7
If you would like to make other arrangements please feel free to call or write us.
In solidarity,
Justice For Anas Coalition
tel: 514-342-2111
email: justicepouranas@gmail.com
web: http://www.justicepouranas.ca
