Foreign Minister John Baird reiterated Tuesday that diplomatic efforts are ongoing as government officials at the 鈥渉ighest levels鈥� work to secure the release of two Canadians who have been detained in Egyptian jail since August.
Speaking with reporters during a joint press conference in Ottawa Tuesday with Somalia鈥檚 deputy prime minister, Baird said the government, at Prime Minister Stephen Harper鈥檚 direction, has 鈥渆ngaged in a big way鈥� to attempt to release John Greyson and Tarek Loubani as they remain imprisoned in Egypt following their arrest on Aug. 16.
Greyson, a Toronto filmmaker, and Loubani, a doctor from London, Ont., have been held without charge since their arrest during a violent protest in Cairo. The pair was passing through Egypt while en route to Gaza.
On Sunday, the pair was ordered detained for at least another 45 days.
Baird said the government reacted 鈥渁s strongly as possible鈥� following the decision to extend their incarceration and will be watching very closely to actions being taken in the coming days.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to up the rhetoric that would impede their expeditious release, I can just say we鈥檙e having strong discussions with the Egyptian authorities on this,鈥� he said.
Baird said he spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy twice last week, which included a lengthy meeting on Friday.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 see any light at the end of the tunnel, the meeting we had Friday evening was productive and we鈥檙e working to follow through on that,鈥� he said.
He said he also spoke with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne Monday about the detainees.
鈥淚 just want to assure that the Canadian government is doing everything it can to secure the release and let鈥檚 hope these efforts meet with success,鈥� Baird said.
Greyson and Loubani have been on a hunger strike to protest their imprisonment and poor treatment in jail.
