Monia Mazigh

Monia Mazigh was born and raised in Tunisia and immigrated to Canada in 1991. She speaks Arabic, French, and English fluently and holds a doctorate in finance. Monia was catapulted onto the public stage in 2002 when her husband, Maher Arar, was deorted to Syria where he was tortured and held without charge for over a year. She campaigned vigorously for her husband's release and later fought to re-establish his reputation and sought reparations. Her book, Hope and Despair, details the account of the family's ordeal. She is also the author of two novels, Mirrors and Mirages, and Hope Has Two Daughters. Another novel, Farida, is forthcoming. She lives in Ottawa.