CAFE HELD ITS FOURTH “FREE POLITICAL PRISONER DR. JAMES SEARS” PROTEST OUTSIDE TORONTO SOUTH DETENTION CENTRE ON AUGUST 19 

TORONTO. August 19, 2021. The Canadian Association for Free Expression (CAFE) held its fourth protest today in support of political prisoner Dr. James Sears, sentenced to the maximum — one year incarceration for writing satire criticizing privileged minorities. We were joined by John (McCash) the Evangelist, a dynamic veteran of many pro-freedom protests, including many END THE LOCKDOWN  rallies in Queen’s Park..
As of today, Dr. Sears has been in jail for over nine 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 (Jews  & 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.

* Dr. Sears’ Application for Leave to Appeal his conviction and sentence was turned down by an Ontario judge on July 16, but Dr. Sears was NOT informed and had to learn of the decision from a friend on the outside on July 29!

* Dr. Sears is virtually incommunicado. He has contacted his wife or supporters only eight six in three weeks and then only for extremely brief conversations!.
* Many people across Canada and the world have sent Dr. Sears postcards and letters of support. After six weeks behind bars, as of July 29, he had received NONE of these letters. Maybe the COVID ate them. Finally, because of our protests, as of August 3, Dr. Sears was finally receiving his mail.

* Dr, Sears complained to the prison authorities of sciatic pain but was breezily told there was only one physiotherapist to deal with the large prison population!

*  On August 14, I had a brief conversation on the phone with Dr. Sears. He is really grateful for your letters and support. He is encouraged and delighted by our protests. He is a “celebrity” in prison and rightly so.
* On August 10, I dropped some money off at the prison for Dr. Sears’ canteen and shall leave some more later this week. I welcome your contributions

* 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.
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
_______________________CAFE (The Canadian Association for Free Expression)P.O. Box 332,Rexdale, ON.,M9W 5L3
416-428-5308
HTTP://cafe.nfshost.com