Double jeopardy for Kohail brothers

As former Dollard des Ormeaux resident, Sultan Kohail, 18, learned in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this week that he would soon be tried as an adult and may face the death penalty, Bernard Patry, federal Liberal MP for Pierrefonds-Dollard riding where the family used to live, criticized what he thought was a lacking effort on the Conservative government's behalf to save him.

"All the Canadian government did, all they said, was a brief visit by Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, who briefly saw some authorities involved," Patry told The Chronicle over the phone.

He was alluding to a visit by Stockwell Day to Saudi Arabia during a larger trip in the Middle East in March. That was two weeks after the death sentence verdict fell on Mohamed Kohail, 23, Sultan's older brother, at the end of a trial that was much criticized by family, friends and activists for its short duration and improper procedure.

Canadian citizens of Palestinian origin who moved to Canada at the beginning of the decade from Saudi Arabia, the Kohails settled down at a home in Dollard des Ormeaux before moving back to the latter country temporarily in order to be with a sick relative and marry off Sultan and Mohamed's sister.

Over there, however, Sultan found himself involved in a schoolyard brawl and called on the help of his brother and friends in January 2007. A Syrian youth, Munzer Haraki, 19, died during the fight, and Mohamed Kohail was charged with the death. He received a death sentence by beheading, and his brother was sentenced to 200 lashes and a year of jail time. Both tried to appeal their sentences, and both have been denied.

"The incredible thing here, in both cases, is that the appeal process asked the court to take a second look," said Barry Gaiptman, a guidance councillor at Cartier Adult Education Centre in Beaconsfield, which the older brother attended while living in the West Island.

Gaiptman has organized several activities at Cartier in order to raise awareness of the Kohails' plight, including the signature of a petition by his students which they then handed over to Patry to present to Parliament. As the new school year starts, he said, he would be planning a campaign to raise more awareness of the brothers' situation.

Gaiptman, who is in occasional contact with the Kohails, told The Chronicle the latest developments about Sultan have been devastating. "They're really making a plea for the Canadian government and for Canada in general to show support," he said.

"You know, when you would have asked me about it in March (prior to Mohamed's death sentence), I would have said, yeah, everything's going to be OK," Gaiptman said with emotion. Now he just was not sure anymore.

Over at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, criticism that Canada has not been acting strongly enough on behalf of the Kohails was brushed off. "Canada has, and continues to pursue all avenues to save Mohamed Kohail," said spokesperson Sean Sinclair, adding consular and embassy officials in Saudi Arabia continue to meet with authorities there as well as offer the Kohails their support.

Sinclair said it is difficult to provide more details about what exactly is going on due to privacy law and the seriousness of the situation.

The death sentence for the brothers would be carried out by decapitation.