Stephen Harper needs to call Egypt for Mohamed Fahmy's release: advocate

A Halifax woman involved in the fight to free Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy from an Egyptian jail is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to do more to help with Fahmy's release.

Cecilia Greyson, along with Fahmy's family, started an online campaign on Monday, #HarperCallEgypt, to try and push the prime minister to urgently lobby for his release.

Fahmy, 40, was arrested in December 2013 with two of his Al-Jazeera colleagues and sentenced to seven years in prison after a much-criticized trial.

The Egyptian government has announced a retrial for Fahmy, who is accused of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood political party and fabricating footage, starting Thursday.

Greyson's brother John Greyson, along with Tarek Loubani, spent 50 days in the same jail as Fahmy is being held in what they've described as brutal conditions. They were released in October 2013.

"In terms of how Mohamed is doing, his family has visited with him, his fiance has visited with him and they've told him about the support here in Canada and he's been happy to hear about that. But, he's certainly very worried and very concerned about what's been happening," said Greyson.   

"When you go through that kind of experience, you're forever changed. When I talk to people who have gone through this, family members, I know exactly how they're feeling. Certainly Mohamed Fahmy's family is going through an incredible amount of stress and I know how difficult it is when a loved one is incarcerated for no reason."  

'Needs to have that kind of finessing' 

She said Fahmy's family has heard from Egyptian officials that Harper's office has not had enough personal contact on the matter. 

"The Fahmy family was hearing that from Egyptian officials — and there certainly was overtures from Minister Baird. Minister Baird made statements and he went there on Jan. 15 and spoke to his counterpart, the minister of foreign affairs," said Greysaon. 

"But the Egyptian government and President [Abdel Fattah] el-Sisi really rely on a great deal of diplomacy and they respect that. There did not appear to be personal overtures, in terms of phone calls and personal conversations, coming from the prime Minister's office, that's my understanding." 

Harper's office said Tuesday it has sent letters to the Egyptian president but Greyson said that's not enough.

"In this very tight time period before the retrial, which starts tomorrow, we're asking that Prime Minister Harper call Egypt — that's basically as simple as that — to actually make an overture to President el-Sisi and discuss this issue because it needs to have that kind of finessing at this point," she said.

She said John Baird's resignation has been a bit of a setback since it takes time to nurture diplomatic relationships.  

"At this point, it's essential that Prime Minister Harper take on that position, as a respected leader, someone who is knowledgeable in these affairs and is able to step in,"  she said.

"There has been no personal statement from Prime MInister Harper himself and no assurances that a personal call has been made. I know that Mohamed Fahmy's Lawyer, Amal Clooney, and her team were in touch with President el-Sisi's office yesterday and at that point President el-Sisi had not heard from Harper. Today is the day to do it, absolutely."