story
Syndicate content

Blog: Lessons from a successful media campaign

Philippe Duhamel's picture

Monia Mazigh Ottawa 2003

Ottawa, Sept. 2003 — Monia Mazigh holds a procession for the return of her husband, Maher Arar. She's joined by their two children, Barâa (to her side) and Houd (in stroller), her own mother (left) and Maher Arar's mother (right). Photo: Philippe Duhamel.

When I met Monia Mazigh in 2003, she was a dignified, immensely worried lone campaigner for her husband's release. 

On September 25, 2002, Maher Arar left his wife Monia, their 5-year old daughter Barâa and 7-month baby son Houd in Tunisia, where they were vacationing on her side of the family. He had to return to work in Canada. The rest of the family would return later. They bade him farewell and he took a taxi to the airport. 

This was the last time Monia and the kids saw him for over a year.