2 Canadians Freed in Egypt

CAIRO — Two Canadians held for seven weeks in an Egyptian prison in what they had described as brutal conditions have been freed, Canadian officials announced late Saturday.

Few other details were available on the release of the men, John Greyson and Dr.Tarek Loubani, who were arrested on Aug. 16 during violent anti-government demonstrations in Cairo.

“I look forward to Dr. Loubani and Mr. Greyson being reunited with their families and friends, who have shown tremendous strength during this difficult time,” Lynne Yelich, a junior minister responsible for consular affairs said in a statement late Saturday. 

Mr. Greyson and Mr. Loubani were released Sunday morning — Cairo time — but there has been no confirmed word on exactly when they will be returning to Canada.

There was no immediate comment on their release from the two men’s families. 

Mr. Greyson, a Toronto filmmaker and Mr. Loubani, an emergency room doctor from London, Ont. have said they planned to stay in the Egyptian capital only briefly on their way to Gaza last month. 

They issued a statement from prison last month indicating they had decided to check out protests that were close to their hotel and saw at least 50 protesters killed. Mr. Loubani stopped to treat some injured protesters and Mr. Greyson filmed the carnage. 

Their statement said that after leaving the scene of the protests they asked police for directions and were stopped and beaten and taken into custody. 

Subsequently Egyptian prosecutors accused them of “participating with members of the Muslim Brotherhood” in an attack on a police station, but never laid any charges.

The two Canadians said they spent most of their time crammed with other inmates in a filthy, cockroach-infested prison cell as they awaited word on their fate. 

The pair staged a 16 day hunger strike to try to pressure Egyptian officials to release them, but started eating food again last week.