PM Harper should pick up the phone

PM Harper should pick up the phone

We expressed shock and disappointment on Saturday, when an Egyptian court sentenced Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy to three years in prison.The decision came after two turbulent trials, both of which were widely condemned by the international community.

Fahmy's high profile human rights lawyer, Amal Clooney: "It sends a message that journalists can be locked up for simply doing their job, for telling the truth and reporting the news. And it sends a dangerous message that there are judges in Egypt who will allow their courts to become instruments of political repression and propaganda".

"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 al-Sisi 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."