Canadian citizen wins two-million euro immigration lawsuit

In 2009, a Canadian citizen of Somali origin, Suaad Magi Mohamed was returning back to Canada from Kenya when was stopped from boarding her flight because officials said she didn't look like the woman in her 4-year old passport photo. She was then jailed for eight days and spent the following three months in Kenya until a DNA test proved her identity. Upon her arrival back in Canada, she launched a two million euro law suite against the Canadian government that was settled earlier this year, costing the government 1.2 million euros. However this is not the first time Canadians abroad have suffered a similar fate, especially in African or Middle Eastern countries, where they have been left stranded by the Canadian government. RFI spoke to Julian Falconer, the lawyer representing Suaad Magi Mohamed in her case.

Suaad Hagi Mohamed was detained for three months in Kenya when Canadian authorities decided she did not resemble her passport photo Reuters/Mike Cassese