YAY! Egypt frees filmmaker John Greyson and Dr. Tarek Loubani

[cali]

Canada’s Foreign Affairs department said late Saturday two Canadians held without charges for the past several weeks in Egypt have been released from prison.

Lynne Yelich, a Canadian minister of consular affairs, said Canada welcomes the decision to release John Greyson, a filmmaker and professor, and Tarek Loubani, a physician.

The pair has been held without charges since mid-August. The men say they were observing an anti-government demonstration Aug. 16 when Loubani heeded a call for a doctor and began treating wounded demonstrators while Greyson recorded the unrest on video.

The pair released a statement a week ago saying they were beaten and subjected to degrading treatment. Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird warned Egypt that the detention was a significant threat to relations between the two countries.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/2-canadians-released-from-in-egyptian-prison-after-canada-warns-detention-would-mar-relations/2013/10/06/12d987ac-2e45-11e3-b141-298f46539716_story.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. "beaten and subjected to degrading treatment"

That seems to be par for the course out there.

In other news :

Egypt’s tourism revenues have been in a spin since the Arab Spring turned the country upside down. As tourism accounts for 11 percent of GDP the country desperately needs holidaymakers to return.

Now the German arm of TUI, part of Europe’s largest tour operator, has given the green light for a resumption of activity in Egypt’s Red Sea resorts.

“The Germans must come and see for themselves: It is absolutely safe here. The pictures you saw in the media ? that was Cairo and Alexandria. Here we did not experience any violence,” says Luxor’s Governor Saad Eldin.

But Luxor, the Nile, and the Valley of the Kings along with Cairo are still out of bounds, although TUI says it is reviewing the situation daily with a view to returning soon.

http://www.euronews.com/2013/09/27/travel-giant-resumes-tour-bookings-for-egypt-s-red-sea-resorts/

"It is absolutely safe here" doesn't explain how come tourists were advised not to leave the resorts some of which are effectively compounds with their own security. http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/16/egypt-british-tourists-in-red-sea-resort-of-hurghada-advised-to-stay-inside-hotels-3925985/

[frazzled]

2. We were so relieved to hear this

Been following the story since it happened in August in shock. Mr. Frazzled, who has known the filmmaker in question for many many years, contacted the Egyptian consulate and others repeatedly. So glad to see this nightmare ended.

[cali]

3. Me too.

I posted many ops about this but there was no interest here.

I'm so happy for the family and friends of these two men.

May they recover soon and fully from their ordeal.

[laundry_queen]

4. I must've missed your OPs

I've been following this on the news here in Canada. It must be such a relief for their family and friends. I must admit I'm wholly disgusted with Egypt as well.

[frazzled]

5. UPDATE: Greyson and Loubani still not able to leave

They are in a hotel and no longer in prison, but they are still not permitted to leave the Egypt.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry says two Canadians released from an Egyptian jail after being held without charge for seven weeks may not be free to leave the country due to an investigation into potential charges.


John Greyson, a Toronto filmmaker and York University professor, and Dr. Tarek Loubani of London, Ont., were released from prison on the weekend following their arrest during anti-government demonstrations in Egypt in August.

The pair checked in for a flight to Frankfurt on Sunday, but were prevented from boarding the plane because their names appeared on a "stop list" issued by prosecutors, airport officials said.

The two retrieved their luggage and were free to leave the airport.

It was thought Greyson and Loubani would be free to return home sometime this week, but on Monday morning, CBC’s Middle East correspondent Sasa Petricic tweeted that may not be the case: ...

... Petricic reported that the pair would have to wait until charges for all 600 protesters arrested with them are decided before leaving.

Could be a 'very long wait'
The lawyer for the two men plans to file a petition to remove their names from list of 600 under investigation for criminal charges so they can leave, Petricic reported.

"It’s not just a question of red tape as we were led to believe originally," Petricic reported Monday on CBC News Network. "They will not be allowed to leave … until the investigation is over.

"If that needs to run its course, it could be a very long wait even though they are now in a hotel room instead of a jail cell."

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/toronto/story/1.1928081

[frazzled]

6. Update to UPDATE: They finally have government clearance to leave

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/john-greyson-tarek-loubani-free-to-leave-egypt-lawyer-says-1.1958690

[cali]

7. fuck the Egyptian "legal" system with a rusty rake.

and hopefully both Greyson and Loubani will be home in Canada soon.