An Ontario woman says she fears for her father’s safety after he was detained by Egyptian authorities at the end of a business trip.
On Saturday, Amal Ahmed told CTV News Channel that she last heard from her father, Yasser Ahmed, when he was trying to leave Cairo International Airport on Feb. 18.
Ahmed says that her father, who lives in Oakville, Ont., informed the family from the airport that he was being “set aside” and wasn’t sure why.
“Around 10 p.m., he sent us a message letting us know that he loves us, and then after that we haven’t heard anything from him,” she told CTV News Channel.
Ahmed said that a close friend of her father told the family that the Canadian had been taken into custody by state security personnel.
That was the only other information they received until Saturday, when Egyptian officials confirmed to the family that Ahmed was being detained. They would not say where he is being held or why.
Global Affairs Canada told CTV News that they are aware that a citizen has been detained in Egypt. They said consular services are being provided and they are seeking more information from local authorities.
“The Canadian ambassador in Egypt is involved so I’m very, very grateful for that,” Ahmed told CTV News Channel. “One of the most important things I’ve learned in the past from other cases of Canadians detained in Egypt was that early government intervention is key.”
“If we wait too long until fabricated charges end up happening in the legal system it makes it very hard,” Ahmed said.
Citing reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Ahmed said she’s worried that her father could face mistreatment or even torture.
“That’s honestly my greatest concern,” she said.
