Welcome home John and Tarek.
The York community was overjoyed to learn that filmmaker John Greyson and emergency room doctor Tarek Loubani were finally released from a Cairo prison this past weekend after being detained without charges for 51 days.
The Canadians were released Sunday morning Cairo time, yet there has been no confirmed word on when they will be returning to Canada. The details regarding why the pair was released were not immediately available.
Craig Heron, a professor of history at York, says the York community is greatly relieved to hear Greyson and Loubani are finally out of jail and says it’s clear all the letters, petitions and rallies had an impact, including York’s Day of Concern.
President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri also expressed his joy upon hearing the news the release of Greyson and Loubani in a statement and looks forward to welcoming Greyson back to York.
Lynne Yelich, minister of state (foreign affairs and consular), confirmed that the men were released from prison and that their departure from Egypt is currently being facilitated.
“Canadian officials will continue to offer consular services to them and their families as needed,” said Yelich. “I wish to express our appreciation to the Egyptian authorities for providing consistent consular access.”
Cecilia Greyson, John Greyson’s sister has been in touch with media outlets in Ontario throughout their detainment. She announced via Twitter that the pair had been freed and have been recuperating in a Cairo hotel. The two were also under medical supervision, eating solid food and recovering after a 16-day hunger strike intended to pressure Egyptian official to release them.
Cecilia believes a number of factors led the Egyptian government to release her brother and Loubani.
In an interview with CTV, Cecilia said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked very hard on their behalf for the release of both gentlemen, adding that the Canadian consular staff were working through the red tape and completing necessary paperwork, so the pair could begin their trip back to Canada.
The release came just one day after news emerged that Greyson and Loubani could face years in prison without being charged, despite massive public support and petitions for their release.
Warnings from the Canadian government implied that their detention could compromise international relations between the two countries.
Prior to that, Egyptian authorities had extended the pair’s detention three times, each time for 15 days. A day after the pair smuggled a statement regarding their conditions in prison, their detainment was extended for another 45 days.
Loubani and Greyson were arrested by the Egyptian police on August 16. They were en-route to the Gaza Strip, where Loubani was to work on a medical project that Greyson had planned to document. In a statement released on September 28, the pair wrote that Loubani was helping injured protesters, while Greyson filmed the unfolding violence.
After stopping for directions at a police station, Egyptian authorities accused the pair of taking part in bloody political clashes in Cairo.
“That’s when we were arrested, searched, caged, questioned, interrogated, videotaped with a ‘Syrian terrorist,’ slapped, beaten, ridiculed, hot-boxed, refused phone class, stripped, shaved bald and accused of being foreign mercenaries,” read the statement.
Cecilia Greyson hopes to see her brother home within the week.
Mishaal Sinha
Staff Writer
