Canadians freed in Egypt

(Update)

The two Canadians detained in a Cairo prison for 50 days may be staying in Egypt even longer. Egypts’ Foreign Affairs Ministry says Toronto film maker John Greyson and London emergency doctor, Tarek Loubani won’t be able to leave until officials decide whether the pair will be tried before a court.

Cindy Csordas has the details

Monday morning, it was announced that after the two Canadian men were released from a Cairo jail Tarek Loubani and John Greyson would be coming home. But now, Egyptian officials are saying the two Canadians are still under investigation for attacking a police station.

John Greyson’s sister Cecilia is more than thrilled her brother has been released from a Cairo prison but: “We’re still watiing for their exit from Cairo and until they come back to Canada we wont’ completely breath easily.”

John Greyson and Tarek Loubani were arrested August 16th during violent anti-government protests in Cairo. Loubani was on his way to Gaza to train emergency doctors and Greyson was going to film him. But they didn’t make it there. At a protest in Toronto Monday, Greyson’s sister Cecilia said her brother was in good spirits even though he and Loubani were not allowed to board a flight home after it was discovered they were on a “no fly list”.

Cecilia: “We always knew this would be a bit of a long process, there’s a lot of beauracracy to through it’s not as simple as unlocking a door, it’s more complicated than that.”

One of Greyson’s good friends and a co-worker at York University is anxious to see her friend’s safe return. Brenda Longfellow says John and Tarek spent 50 days in a Cairo prison when they weren’t even formally charged: “They talked about the cockroaches, the concrete floor, over crowding and the fact they had basically been tortured or beaten. Everybody desperately wants to see them. I know I do. I want to give him a big hug and touch him.”

Eshrat Erfanian is a student of Greyson’s and she says lots of people will be waiting to welcome Greyson home: “Give him a hug and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere for awhile.”

Given all that the pair has been through, some friends and family believe Canadian officials have done a good job freeing the two men. Longfellow says the Canadian consulate in Egypt was very active and kept applying pressure to release Loubani and Greyson. As of right now, they’re free to go where they please within Egypts borders while a judge decides on what to do with their case.