TORONTO, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- An alleged U.S. Army deserter and his family avoided deportation from Canada at least temporarily Monday.
A Canadian judge in Toronto ruled Jeremy Hinzman and his family can stay in the country while the federal court mulls whether to consider their appeal, the Canadian Broadcast Corp. reported. They had been ordered to depart the northern U.S. neighbor by Tuesday or face forcible eviction.
Hinzman, 39, who has a wife and two children, faces prosecution in the United States for allegedly dodging deployment to Iraq in 2004. They are seeking to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassion grounds, the CBC reported.
"We are very happy that the court has granted this stay of deportation," said Lee Zaslofsky, coordinator of the War Resisters Support Campaign. "Jeremy and his family will be allowed to remain in Canada at least until the court decides whether to hear his appeal."
