First prisoner of conscience detained in Canada, says Amnesty International
For the first time, Amnesty International has granted prisoner of conscience status to a person detained in Canada.
Chief Dsta'hyl of the Likhts'amisyu clan of the Wet'suwet'en Nation, also known as Adam Gagnon, was found guilty of criminal contempt for publicly and deliberately defying a court order to stay away from the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
The events took place on traditional Wet'suwet'en territory in northern British Columbia in October 2021.
Justice Michael Tammen of the Provincial Supreme Court in Smithers imposed a 60-day jail sentence with house arrest on July 3, 2024. The judge said the sentence was necessary because Mr. Gagnon had caused a significant degree of disruption to workers and the construction of the pipeline.
However, according to Ana Piquer, Americas Regional Director for Amnesty International, Chief Dsta'hyl has been unjustly criminalized and deprived of his liberty for exercising his rights.
Canada is now adding her name to an inglorious list of countries where prisoners of conscience are being held behind bars or under house arrest, she said.
Amnesty International is therefore calling for the immediate and unconditional lifting of his house arrest, and an end to the criminalisation of Wet'suwet'en land defenders in the context of a global climate emergency.
States must support, not lock up, Indigenous land defenders like Chief Dsta'hyl and follow their lead
for a healthier and more sustainable future for all.
A quote fromAna Piquer, Americas Regional Director at Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International published a report in December 2023 that denounced the criminalization and surveillance of the Wet'suwet'en. The group had denounced the human rights abuses allegedly carried out for years by the Royal Canada Mounted Police and TC Energy, the construction company of Coastal GasLink.
What is a prisoner of conscience?A prisoner of conscience is any person who is imprisoned or subjected to other physical restrictions (such as house arrest), solely because of their political, religious or other beliefs, ethnic origin, gender, skin colour, language, national or social origin, socio-economic status, birth, sexual orientation, etc. gender identity or expression, or any other situation, and who did not use violence, violence or hate in the circumstances that led to their detention.
A long-awaited designationIn an interview from his home on Wet'suwet'en territory, Gagnon said the designation of prisoners
of conscience for First Nations is long overdue.
You know, we were basically put in jail over 130 years ago when the federal government and the
provinces rounded us up and put us on reserves.
A quote fromAdam GagnonHe feels a duty to fight for the protection of Wet'suwet'en territory and he puts little hope in the will of the federal government: The government has the ability to make a declaration to give us back our 22,000 square kilometres, but since there are still many resources on our lands, he will never negotiate with us in good faith.
AdvertisingAt a press conference, he thanked Amnesty International for the designation of a prisoner of conscience. "It's important for the world to know about the unfair treatment of First Nations in Canada," he said.
Gabrielle Pauzé, Director of Operations for Amnesty International Canada Francophone, has spoken directly to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada's Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc to call for the immediate release of Chief Dsta'hyl.
She believes that this sentence violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Amnesty International is monitoring the case of three other Wet'suwet'en members who are still awaiting trial date for contempt of court. "We will also consider designating these people as prisoners of conscience if they are sentenced to prison or house arrest," the group said.
Chief Dsta'hyl of the Likhts'amisyu clan of the Wet'suwet'en Nation, also known as Adam Gagnon, was found guilty of criminal contempt for publicly and deliberately defying a court order to stay away from the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
The events took place on traditional Wet'suwet'en territory in northern British Columbia in October 2021.
Justice Michael Tammen of the Provincial Supreme Court in Smithers imposed a 60-day jail sentence with house arrest on July 3, 2024. The judge said the sentence was necessary because Mr. Gagnon had caused a significant degree of disruption to workers and the construction of the pipeline.
However, according to Ana Piquer, Americas Regional Director for Amnesty International, Chief Dsta'hyl has been unjustly criminalized and deprived of his liberty for exercising his rights.
Canada is now adding her name to an inglorious list of countries where prisoners of conscience are being held behind bars or under house arrest, she said.
Amnesty International is therefore calling for the immediate and unconditional lifting of his house arrest, and an end to the criminalisation of Wet'suwet'en land defenders in the context of a global climate emergency.
States must support, not lock up, Indigenous land defenders like Chief Dsta'hyl and follow their lead
for a healthier and more sustainable future for all.
A quote fromAna Piquer, Americas Regional Director at Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International published a report in December 2023 that denounced the criminalization and surveillance of the Wet'suwet'en. The group had denounced the human rights abuses allegedly carried out for years by the Royal Canada Mounted Police and TC Energy, the construction company of Coastal GasLink.
What is a prisoner of conscience?A prisoner of conscience is any person who is imprisoned or subjected to other physical restrictions (such as house arrest), solely because of their political, religious or other beliefs, ethnic origin, gender, skin colour, language, national or social origin, socio-economic status, birth, sexual orientation, etc. gender identity or expression, or any other situation, and who did not use violence, violence or hate in the circumstances that led to their detention.
A long-awaited designationIn an interview from his home on Wet'suwet'en territory, Gagnon said the designation of prisoners
of conscience for First Nations is long overdue.
You know, we were basically put in jail over 130 years ago when the federal government and the
provinces rounded us up and put us on reserves.
A quote fromAdam GagnonHe feels a duty to fight for the protection of Wet'suwet'en territory and he puts little hope in the will of the federal government: The government has the ability to make a declaration to give us back our 22,000 square kilometres, but since there are still many resources on our lands, he will never negotiate with us in good faith.
AdvertisingAt a press conference, he thanked Amnesty International for the designation of a prisoner of conscience. "It's important for the world to know about the unfair treatment of First Nations in Canada," he said.
Gabrielle Pauzé, Director of Operations for Amnesty International Canada Francophone, has spoken directly to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada's Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc to call for the immediate release of Chief Dsta'hyl.
She believes that this sentence violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Amnesty International is monitoring the case of three other Wet'suwet'en members who are still awaiting trial date for contempt of court. "We will also consider designating these people as prisoners of conscience if they are sentenced to prison or house arrest," the group said.
