Mohamed Fahmy is shown in a family handout photo. The Egyptian-Canadian journalist is being detained in Cairo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO
January 14, 2014 - 11:04 AM
The family of an Egyptian-Canadian journalist being held in a high-security Cairo prison is calling on Ottawa to do more to secure the man's release.
Mohamed Fahmy, a television producer for news broadcaster Al-Jazeera English, was arrested along with two fellow journalists on Dec. 29 while working in a Cairo hotel room.
Egypt's Interior Ministry has said the arrests were part of its crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, which the local government has branded a terrorist organization.
Fahmy's younger brother calls the allegations "insane" and says his family doesn't understand why the Canadian government hasn't done more to intervene.
Sherif Fahmy says he hopes Canadian officials will at least push for his brother to be provided with a blanket in what he says is a cold, dark, insect-infested cell.
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada has only said that officials have been in touch with the Egyptian-Canadian journalist and are providing consular services to him.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014