A Canadian Engineer, Yasser Ahmed Albaz has been released from an Egyptian prison after spending almost 500 days in custody and has travelled back to Canada to be with his family in Oakville, Ontario.
According to a post shared by Amal Ahmed Albaz, Albaz’s daughter on Facebook, Albaz arrived at Toronto’s Pearson Airport recently but his health has “deteriorated” and his major priority now is getting some much-needed medical treatment after 18 months in an Egyptian prison.
Amal wrote: “Our family’s ordeal is finally coming to an end. We ask that he be given time to quietly heal from this ordeal and spend quality time with his family.”
Global Affairs Canada’s spokesperson said the department was “pleased” that Albaz is now with his family here in Canada. The spokesperson said: “Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed.”
Albaz went for a two-month business trip in Egypt but he was arrested by authorities when he was due to leave Egypt in February, 2019.
His family lost every contact with him for many days as he was interrogated by Egyptian police at the State Security Prosecutor’s office. He was later moved to Torah Prison.
The passport of Albaz was confiscated and the Egyptian embassy in Canada first said they knew nothing about the case.
Egyptian authorities never explained why he was being detained and Albaz was never charged formally.
While talking about the detention, Amal said her father, who relocated to Canada over 20 years ago is not a politically active person and has never been “outspoken against the Egyptian government in any way. He was purely on a business trip.”
Prior to the release of Albaz, his family said in a status update that “There is no way for Yasser to protect himself from the virus. Not only is there no medical response, but cells are overcrowded, one washroom is shared, conditions are highly unsanitary and physical distancing is impossible.”
The family actively demanded for his release by pressuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau help them him out of jail.
Also, supporters staged “Free Yasser” protests outside Liberal MPs offices in southern Ontario.
Amal thanked Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne for their help in securing her father’s release.
She said: “We are forever grateful for each and every person who supported our family.”
Trudeau call President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt on phone recently.
When asked about the call, Trudeau revealed he and el-Sisi “spoke directly about the case of Mr. Albaz.”
Trudeau said: “We are working very closely with Egyptian authorities on this case and will continue to monitor it very very closely, hearing very clearly the voices of family members and concerned Canadians about Mr. Albaz’s situation.”
