The expression on this man's face says it all.
There is no hope.
Mohamed Fahmy has been abandoned by the government of Canada. Why? Who knows. He's just an ordinary citizen. No one significant. So the federal Tories simply didn't bother to do the work of helping him home. But the Australian journalist got out. Why not our Canadian journalist? Good question.
It's a bad world in Canada.
This bad world in Canada --- is designed to stifle freedom of speech and the chill is everywhere.
This poor man could have been helped by the federal government of Canada and yet where was our government?
Nowhere to be found.
It seems that when we need help, government at all levels just ignore our cries.
I don't know too much about this man but I feel terribly sorry for his position.
Only the folks at CCLA seem to be helping him.
Shame on the federal government of Canada!
Why do we even bother to vote for people who do not represent us in our worst times?
https://ccla.org/mohamed-fahmy-sentenced-to-three-years-in-prison/
There is no hope.
Mohamed Fahmy has been abandoned by the government of Canada. Why? Who knows. He's just an ordinary citizen. No one significant. So the federal Tories simply didn't bother to do the work of helping him home. But the Australian journalist got out. Why not our Canadian journalist? Good question.
It's a bad world in Canada.
This bad world in Canada --- is designed to stifle freedom of speech and the chill is everywhere.
This poor man could have been helped by the federal government of Canada and yet where was our government?
Nowhere to be found.
It seems that when we need help, government at all levels just ignore our cries.
I don't know too much about this man but I feel terribly sorry for his position.
Only the folks at CCLA seem to be helping him.
Shame on the federal government of Canada!
Why do we even bother to vote for people who do not represent us in our worst times?
https://ccla.org/mohamed-fahmy-sentenced-to-three-years-in-prison/
MOHAMED FAHMY SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON
August 29, 2015
(Credit: HEBA ELKHOLY / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
CCLA is deeply disappointed with the outcome today in the case of Canadian journalist Mohammed Fahmy, who was sentenced to three years in prison by an Egyptian court.
Mr. Fahmy is a Canadian citizen and journalist who was working for Al Jazeera in Egypt when he was arrested and detained with two of his colleagues in December 2013. Since then, he has been tried on terrorism and national security-related charges that raised significant concerns about the stifling of free expression and freedom of the press. Lawyers for Mr. Fahmy have stated that no evidence has been produced to prove the charges against him.
In his ruling today, Judge Hassan Farid said Fahmy and his colleagues have received this prison sentence because they had not registered with the country’s journalist syndicate. He also said the men brought in equipment without the approval of security officials, had broadcast “false news” on Al-Jazeera, and used a hotel as a broadcasting point without permission.
Sukanya Pillay, Executive Director and General Counsel of CCLA, had previously been in touch with Mr. Fahmy’s family and his legal team to offer support and solidarity. She also wrote to Prime Minister Harper earlier this year asking that he personally intervene to obtain the immediate release of Mr. Fahmy.
The verdict today is the result of a retrial stemming from an appeal of his earlier conviction. Mr. Fahmy spent more than a year in prison until he was released, though forced to remain in Egypt pending the retrial.
Mohamed Fahmy case: NDP, Liberals say Harper should do more to free jailed journalist
Fahmy was sentenced to 3 years in Cairo prison on Friday
The Canadian Press Posted: Aug 30, 2015 8:36 AM ET Last Updated: Aug 30, 2015 2:48 PM ET
Along with two other Al-Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fahmy was sentenced to three years in prison after widely denounced trial. Harper's political opponents say he didn't do enough to secure Fahmy's deportation to Canada. (Asmaa Waguih/Reuters)
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Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's political opponents are calling on the prime minister to take time off the campaign trail and concentrate on securing the release of jailed Canadian journalist Mohammed Fahmy.
An Egyptian court sentenced Fahmy to three years in prison on Saturday and the foreign affairs critics for both the New Democrats and the Liberals lashed out at Harper for failing to intervene earlier in the case.
They both called on him once again to phone Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to personally demand the Al-Jazeera journalist's release.
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"Very concretely, we are asking Stephen Harper to put aside the election campaign for a moment and call President al-Sisi directly and ask him to send Mr. Fahmy home," NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Paul Dewar told The Canadian Press.
Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic Marc Garneau told The Canadian Press Harper should contact el-Sissi and "register Canada's strongest disapproval, and in fact to make it very clear that the relationship between Canada and Egypt, which has been a good one, is in jeopardy if Mr. Fahmy has to go back to jail."
Fahmy faced widely denounced terror charges and spent more than a year in prison before a successful appeal of an earlier conviction resulted in a retrial that culminated in Saturday's verdict, where Fahmy was sentenced for failing to register with the country's journalist syndicate, bringing in equipment without security approval, and broadcasting "false news" on Al-Jazeera.
Lynne Yelich, minister of state for foreign affairs, said in a statement that Canada is "disappointed" and that Saturday's decision "severely undermines confidence in the rule of law in Egypt."
In a tweet, Harper wrote "Canada continues to call on Egypt for the immediate and full release of Mr. Fahmy, and full co-operation to facilitate his return home."
Australian journalist deported
Both Dewar and Garneau accused Harper of failing to take strong action in the Fahmy case. Garneau said it was "very clear" the Harper government's response was "inadequate" considering Fahmy's colleague at Al-Jazeera, Peter Greste, was successfully deported to his native Australia because of "direct intervention" on the part of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Dewar said Harper's Conservatives, in contrast with the Australian prime minister, decided to "stand on the sidelines and really not step up and do their job."
In an interview on CBC's Power & Politics Sunday morning, Defence Minister and Conservative candidate Jason Kenney said that the government is "profoundly concerned about the conviction" and rejected any suggestions that the government has not done enough to have Fahmy deported to Canada.
"We have reached out to the Egyptian government at the highest levels and will continue to do so to represent the interests of Mr. Fahmy. In some of these consular cases, the most effective thing is not always to get out with a megaphone," said Kenney.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair took to Twitter to condemn the court ruling, as did Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.
Egypt's Foreign Ministry summoned Britain's ambassador on Sunday to protest comments he made about the case. John Casson said the sentences would undermine confidence in Egypt's stability. The ministry issued a statement that Casson's comments were "unacceptable interference" in the country's judiciary.
With files from CBC News
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