As Mohamed Fahmy's retrial starts in Egypt I am sharing my open letter to Prime Minister Harper, originally posted on my website. Eleven days after posting it there, and 421 days since Mohamed Fahmy's wrongful arrest and imprisonment in Egypt, I have not received a response. I hope Prime Minister Harper finally hears my call, and the call of people across Canada, and around the world, who have joined our #HarperCallEgypt campaign since we launched it on February 9.
Feb. 11, 2015
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
I write to you as a Canadian, and as a survivor of having a loved one wrongfully imprisoned in Iran. I write to you knowing what it feels like every moment of every day a loved is held captive for political reasons alone. It is haunting. It is impossible to feel free. It is impossible to focus on anything other than setting them free. With your own two hands. Even when the power to do so is not in your hands.
The power is in your hands to call the Egyptian President and seek Mohamed Fahmy's immediate release. He has been imprisoned in one of the worst prisons in the world for 411 days. 411 days! When every moment of every one of those days is torturous for him and all of his loved ones. His family has had to put their lives on hold and fight for his freedom with everything in them. For 411 days. Surely you can make one phone call to prevent them all from suffering one more unnecessary moment.
When my American friends Josh Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd were wrongfully imprisoned in Iran, President Obama made a powerful public statement at the one year mark. He spoke to their families, publicly assuring them "that the U.S. government would continue to do all that it could to secure their release," and closing his statement with "All Americans stand together in support of our citizens who are suffering through unjust detention abroad, and we will not rest until they are home. "
Don't you stand with all Canadians in support of our citizens suffering through unjust detention abroad? Don't you have the responsibility on behalf of all Canadians to intervene and end Mohamed Fahmy's suffering through unjust detention abroad?
I am doing everything in my power to end the suffering of Mohamed Fahmy and his loved ones. I am asking you to do the same. Please call President Sisi and prevent Mohamed Fahmy's unacceptable nightmare from continuing for one more moment.
Thank you,
Farah N. Mawani
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