OTTAWA, (June 21, 2006) The Canadian Association of Journalists calls on the Ontario court to reconsider the sweeping publication ban imposed on the legal proceedings surrounding the arrest of 17 terrorism suspects in Toronto.

Last week, the Ontario Court of Justice imposed a complete publication ban on the bail hearings of the accused, prohibiting any information or evidence presented in court from being made public. The case has attracted attention from across the country as well as internationally. But under the ban, journalists are not able to share the details of one of the country's most important court cases with the public.

"This trial is the single biggest test of Canada's new anti-terrorism laws and a matter of vigorous public interest," said CAJ President Paul Schneidereit. "Canadians care deeply about what's happening in the one forum where these issues are being heard. The court should reconsider the ban in light of these facts."

Canadians have the right to ensure justice is fairly done through a transparent legal system. Publication bans can protect the integrity of court proceedings when applied judiciously in specific cases. But sweeping applications that lock entire legal proceedings behind closed doors undermine the public's fundamental right to know. In this case, that right relates to a matter of vital national importance.

Several media organizations have come together to file a motion to quash the publication ban. The CAJ's board of directors voted unanimously at its summer meeting June 17-18 in Ottawa to call on the court to reconsider the conditions of the publication ban in the case.

The accused 12 adults and five youths were arrested in southern Ontario on June 2 and charged under the federal Anti-terrorism Act.

The Canadian Association of Journalists is a national non-profit professional organization with more than 1,500 members across Canada. The CAJ's primary roles are public interest advocacy work and providing high quality professional development for journalists.