"Why can't Canada get me home?" Campaign for Mohamed Fahmy's freedom continues

TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - After being released on bail yesterday, Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy spoke to media and expressed his frustration with the delays in his deportation home.

"This is not acceptable," said Fahmy, speaking to The Independent on Friday. "Even the Egyptians are asking my family: 'Where are the Canadians?' Is my dual citizenship an excuse to have a laid-back approach?"

Fahmy also expressed frustration that Canadian Prime Minister Harper has failed to advocate strongly on his behalf directly with Egyptian President el-Sisi.

"[W]hy hasn't Harper spoken to Sisi?" asked Fahmy. "[Australian Prime Minister] Tony Abbott spoke to Sisi three times to get Peter [Greste] out of the country."

Dr. Tarek Loubani, jailed in Egypt in 2013 for 50 days with his colleague, filmmaker John Greyson, agrees.

"In our case, Prime Minister Harper issued a strong statement on our behalf after only 45 days," said Loubani. "His statement played a big part in our release one week later. Why hasn't Harper done the same here?"

In a statement issued Thursday, lawyer Amal Clooney noted that there are no legal barriers preventing Fahmy from being deported to Canada.

"There is no impediment to his immediate transfer to Canada and Prime Minister Harper should personally intervene to ensure that the promise that was made by the Egyptian government to his government, and to its citizen, is now honoured."

"It's essential that we get the deportation before the retrial continues on February 23," said Adel Fahmy, Mohamed's brother. "We can't sit back – we need to ensure Mohamed's safe return to Canada immediately."

Over the past six days, thousands of Canadians, including both NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau, have voiced their support for Mohamed Fahmy's case with the #HarperCallEgypt campaign.

It is time to bring Mohamed Fahmy home.

For more information about the detention of Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed, and the #FreeAJstaff campaign, visit cjfe.org/freeajstaff.

About CJFE
CJFE monitors, defends and reports on free expression and access to information in Canada and abroad. Rooted in the field of journalism, we promote a free media as essential to a fair and open society. CJFE boldly champions the free expression rights of all people, and encourages and supports individuals and groups in the protection of their own and others' free expression rights. cjfe.org

SOURCE Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

For further information: Laura Tribe, [e-mail]