Two Canadian citizens who went missing on Friday are receiving consular assistance from their embassy in Cairo.
The Canadian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Lynne Yelich issued a statement on Sunday night asserting that “the government of Canada is very concerned that two Canadian citizens have been arrested in Egypt.”
Yelich said: “Canadian consular officials have visited the two Canadians and have been in contact with their families.” She also said she had spoken with “a senior Egyptian official” to ask about the nature of the charges against them.
The two men are John Greyson and Tarek Loubani who are thought to have been en-route to Gaza for a film project.
Greyson, a professor at York University in Toronto, is an award winning film-maker and an activist, according to one of his former students Elisa Iannacone who is currently living in Cairo.
“I received a phone call on Saturday at 2am from another of John’s former students in Toronto telling me he had been arrested,” she said. Iannacone then launched a social media campaign entitled Free John Greyson to raise awareness. She also contacted the Canadian embassy and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Iannacone said: “His [Greyson’s] partner is aware of what is going on.”
There is increased suspicion of foreign journalists currently and many have been detained or had their equipment confiscated.
The Ministry of Foreign affairs had “no information” regarding Greyson and Loubani’s arrest.
Yelich also commented on the wider political situation in Egypt stressing the importance of dialogue between opposing sides. She added: “We urge all Egyptians to show restraint and resolve in the coming days.”
