Injustice Reversed – The Islamic Republic of Iran Is Not a Victim
- ALCCA Staff
- Apr 27
- 2 min read
A statement from ALCCA’s Chair, Mark Sandler:
A charge laid in Toronto alleging public incitement of hatred against the Islamic Republic of Iran has now been withdrawn.
In an editorial entitled, “The Story Yet Untold – the Islamic Regime is Now Being Treated as a Victim,” I identified the absurdity of a charge laid in Toronto against a counter-demonstrator at the Al-Quds rally of public incitement of hatred against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In other words, the Islamic Republic of Iran was identified as the victim of the crime.
As I pointed out, it is no crime to incite hatred against the Islamic Republic of Iran, a government that is recognized worldwide to be a terror regime.
Canada severed diplomatic relations with this regime years ago. The Islamic Republic of Iran is formally listed by Canada as a state sponsor of terrorism under the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. Iran’s state agency, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Quds Force are both designated terrorist entities under Canadian law.
It is a crime to incite hatred against people based on their national origin, whether Iranians or Israelis. However, to state the obvious, an opponent of the Islamic Republic of Iran does not hate Iranians, or seek their destruction – instead, such an opponent supports Iranians who seek to be free from the current murderous regime.
Rochelle Direnfeld, ALCCA’s Senior Criminal Counsel and I immediately raised this issue with senior police and prosecutors.
This past Friday, the charge of public incitement of hatred against the Islamic Republic of Iran was withdrawn.
The charge should never have been laid.
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