It's important to recognize that the international human rights system is not about guilt or innocence. There are many human rights provisions that apply universally to all people in all circumstances. Even when there is every reason to think someone has committed a crime—and there may be questions, depending on the nature of the justice system in that country as to how reliable the allegations and conviction are, and we always have to hold that lightly—the rights to a fair trial, to have access to Canadian consular assistance, to have legal representation, family visits, and all of those due process rights are fundamental. They're not just icing on the cake; they go to the very heart of what it is to have justice done. Canada needs to champion that through consular efforts.
With respect to many of those exact cases you're talking about, especially if there are terrorism and national security allegations, we know that in many countries torture is almost certainly a very real possibility. Again, that has nothing to do with guilt and innocence. International law is very clear there.
Canada needs to be prepared. As Mohamed reminded us earlier, torture is in particular one of those things that happens almost always in the early days, so that's the kind of case that points to the importance, as he was highlighting, of an immediate and urgent intervention.