© Martin Himel | All rights reserved
Amnesty International Awards Best Long-Form Documentary Prize to: The Arrest

We are proud of this award! The ARREST documentary premiered on TVO Canada. The documentary focuses on the tens of thousands of unjustified arrests that ruin lives even though the charges are ultimately dropped.
Andres, a 68 year old Canadian law-abiding grandfather was beaten and arrested by a police officer while his neighbour’s house was on fire. His crime? He refused to go back into his Toronto house because the gas main could blow up.
We profile lawyer Davin Charney fighting for Andres and his other clients trying to get the charges dropped, then suing the Police, fighting for compensation.
44 percent of all those arrested and charged in Ontario ultimately have the charges dismissed by prosecutors. That’s 44 out of every 100 Canadians who are arrested, jailed, charged, bailed out, obliged to live with restrictions, considered “guilty until proven innocent”. They are often fired from their jobs, traumatized for months if not years, only to have the charges dropped before a trial ever happens. This is not just a Canadian problem; it’s endemic in all Western countries.
Following Broadcasts on TVO:
- Tues May 26 at 9pm (repeats at midnight)
- Thurs May 28 at 9pm (repeats at midnight)
- Sun May 31 at 10pm (repeats at 3am)
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Who's Behind the Blog

Martin Himel is a Television director, producer and senior correspondent. Through his two production companies – Elsash Productions Ltd. and Vigilance Productions Inc. he has produced major television series, ground-breaking documentaries and news coverage for major American, Canadian and European broadcasters…