Abousfian Abdelrazik's extraordinary story first hit the news on April 28, 2008, the day the Sudanese-born Canadian walked into the Canadian embassy in Khartoum and informed staff that he wouldn't leave until he was booked on a plane back to Montreal.

His decision to go public was a courageous one. If the embassy threw him out -- as the consul indeed threatened to do -- it was almost certain that Sudan would arrest him again, and he would pay the heavy price of torture or even death.

But, after five years of exile, including two ghastly prison terms, Abdelrazik was desperate, and his gamble paid off. The Embassy granted him "temporary safe haven" and Canadians across the country began mobilizing in support of him.