Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy

ECCD Statement on the Release of Canadian permanent resident Khaled Al-Qazzaz

ECCD Statement: An end to 558 days of unlawful detainment in Egypt: The release of Canadian permanent resident Khaled Al-Qazzaz

January 12 2014
Ottawa

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) joins Khaled Al-Qazzaz's supporters in celebrating the end of 558 days of unlawful detainment in Egypt.

ECCD extends its sincere congratulations to Sarah Attia, Canadian born wife of Khaled Al-Qazzaz, and their children, and hopes that they will all soon be reunited in Canada.

"All of us who have campaigned for the release of Mr. Al-Qazzaz, including some Canadian MP's, must be elated today. But the campaign is far from over. This is just an example of how eager the Egyptian regime is to silence international voices critical of its human rights record" said Mohamed Kamel, a founding member of ECCD. "We at ECCD remain gravely concerned with regard to the ongoing and very serious human rights violations in Egypt." added Mr. Kamel.

Mr. Baird has announced that he will be visiting Egypt soon. ECCD renews its call that the foreign affairs minister should take a firm stand and a principled position by voicing a strong opposition to human rights abuses in Egypt. He should also call for the immediate release of Mr. Fahmy, the Canadian Journalist imprisoned in Egypt, and his colleagues.

ECCD believes that Canada can lead the international community in pressing the Egyptian authorities to swiftly address the human rights concerns. We call upon the Canadian Government to issue a strong statement indicating that Canada is relieved to see Mr. Al-Qazzaz return to his family but expects immediate action to release Mr. Fahmy, and insists on immediate genuine steps towards restoring the protection of human rights and returning to a path of true democratic reform in Egypt.

About ECCD: Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) is a politically independent, non-affiliated pan Canadian organization with chapters in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, and Kingston, which advocates for democracy and human rights in Egypt.

For more information:
www.eccd.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ehab Lotayef: +1 (514) 941-9792
Ehab El-Komy: +1 (613) 852-1694

Background:

Mr. Al-Qazzaz, a former aide of President Morsi, is one of thousands of individuals who were locked up over the past year and half as part of a sweeping crackdown on dissent. While the Egyptian judiciary handed down shocking mass death sentences to hundreds of supporters of President Morsi, similar to Mr. Al-Qazzaz, the majority of the detainees remain unlawfully detained without charges.

The Egyptian Attorney General has issued an order for Mr. Al-Qazzaz's release on Monday December 29th 2014 and the prison authorities have released him on January 11th 2015. Unfortunately, Mr. Al-Qazaz's release, which was undoubtedly expedited by a tireless international campaign for his release, is not an indication of a change in government policy on human rights.

In June 2014, Mr. Fahmy, an Egyptian Canadian Journalist, and two Al-Jazeera colleagues, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed, were convicted on charges of falsifying news and assisting the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Mr. Fahmy received a seven year prison sentence. Following media speculations that Mr. Fahmy and Mr. Greste may soon be released, the Egyptian court has ordered a re-trial of the 3 journalists. In the meantime, Mr. Fahmy and his colleagues remain in prison.

ECCD Statement on Speculations Regarding Mohamed Fahmy's Release

ECCD Statement on Speculations Regarding Mohamed Fahmy's Release

December 28 2014
Ottawa

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) hopes that the recent media speculations regarding the possible deportation of Mohamed Fahmy from Egypt to Canada are true. We truly hope that Mr. Fahmy will soon be reunited with his family in Canada.

ECCD renews its call upon the Canadian Government Officials, who recently stated that they are "actively engaged in the case", to intensify their efforts to expedite Mr. Fahmy's release and return to Canada.

Commenting on recent media reports, Ehab Lotayf, the chair of ECCD Committee said: "All Canadians including Canadian officials engaged in Mr. Fahmy's case will have a reason to celebrate if he is indeed released and returned to Canada". "Such a joy, however, should not turn into a political photo op and overshadow the efforts that must continue to clear Mr. Fahmy's name, and release Khaled Al-Qazzaz" added Mr. Lotayf. Mr. Al-Qazaz is the Canadian permanent resident, the husband of a Canadian wife, and the father of Canadian children, who has been detained in Egypt without charge since the coup of July 2013.

ECCD believes that this is another opportunity for the Canadian government to review its support of the current Egyptian regime which continues to unlawfully detain and imprison thousands of Egyptians, including members of the press, under politically motivated sentences, similar to Mr. Fahmy's seven year prison sentence.

Background: In June 2014, Mr. Fahmy, an Egyptian Canadian Journalist, and two Al-Jazeera colleagues, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed, were convicted on charges of falsifying news and assisting the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Mr. Fahmy received a seven year prison sentence. ECCD and Several Human rights organizations condemned the detainment and the convictions as an unacceptable attack on media freedom in Egypt.

Canada's condemnation of Mr. Fahmy's sentence back in June 2014 paled in comparison to the strong statement of condemnation from the Australian foreign minister Julia Bishop, and other world leaders. Mr. Baird's disregard ECCD's repeated requests for a meeting to discuss this case and others, and issued no response to Amnesty International open letters sent to him in April and June of 2014.

Recent Media reports suggest that Mr. Fahmy and Mr. Greste may be soon released in accordance with a new decree by General Sisi which stated the foreign prisoners can be deported to their home country. The reports also suggest that their release is part of deal that included Qatar's about-face position regarding the coup d'etat of July 3rd 2013. Several media outlets mentioned that the speculations of Mr. Fahmy's release came on the heels of Qatar's recent decision to terminate the broadcast of Aljazeera's Egyptian channel, one of the most critical voices of General Sisi in the region.

For more information:
www.eccd.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ehab Lotayef: +1 (514) 941-9792
Ehab El-Komy: +1 (613) 852-1694

ECCD Statement with regard to the Canadian Government Decision to Suspend its Embassy Operation in Cairo

ECCD Statement with regard to the Canadian Government Decision to Suspend its Embassy Operation in Cairo

December 10 2014
Ottawa

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) is troubled by our government's latest decisions to suspend its embassy operation in Cairo and to issue an advisory for its citizens against non-essential travel to Egypt due to the security situation.

The decisions which were harshly criticized in the state-controlled Egyptian Media, followed close on the heels of the Egyptian court's politically motivated ruling for 188 people to be sentenced to death on charges of killing 11 police officers in the town of Kerdasa in August 2013.

Whereas ECCD commends the decisions and the concern for the safety of our Canadian diplomats and citizens, we are troubled by the Canadian Government's continuous support for the current regime that has irrefutably failed in delivering on its key promise, to restore safety and security in Egypt.

In spite of the harsh criticism in the Egyptian state-controlled media, we believe that, giving the inability of the regime to ensure the safety of foreign nationals, the Canadian Government decisions were appropriate measures to protect Canadian Nationals in a highly volatile and unpredictable environment. Furthermore, ECCD cautions of the regime's history of covertly inciting violence in order to discredit the opposition movement and to crack down on all voices of dissent. ECCD holds the Egyptian government solely responsible for the safety of all Canadian citizens living in Egypt, as well as its own Egyptian citizens.

ECCD recognizes that the decisions also reflect the government's awareness of the rapidly deteriorating security environment in Egypt, an issue that is continually raised by ECCD and other human rights organizations. "Since the military coup of July 3rd 2013, Egyptians have been living in a republic of fear, characterized by unprecedented human rights abuses by the regime's security apparatus, and record setting violence and crime rate," said Ehab Lotayef, ECCD Chairman. "What more does the Canadian government need to publicly withdraw its support for the coup regime that robbed Egyptian's right to democracy under the watchful eye of western democracies in the name of security and stability," asked Mr. Lotayef in a recent statement.

We call upon the Canadian government to seize the opportunity and publicly withdraw its support to the current illegitimate regime that robbed Egyptians of their January 25th revolution's dream for economic prosperity, freedom, and social justice.

For more information:
www.eccd.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ehab El-Komy: +1 (613) 852-1694
Mostafa Elhoushi: +1 (403) 702-4156

ECCD Workshop at People's Social Forum

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) will be present in the Peoples' Social Form in a workshop to discuss People Rights Vs Military Dictatorship

What Arab spring brought to Egypt? Is it Democracy or Military Coup?
Friday August 22 at 2:45 p.m. at the University of Ottawa LMX Room 121

More can be found in the program and on the PSF: http://www.peoplessocialforum.org
Schedule: Click here

Our guest speakers will be:

Roger Annis, writer and antiwar activist in Vancouver. He has written extensively on events in Egypt during the past year for such publications as Truthout, Rabble.ca and website 'A Socialist in Canada'. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ovide Bastien: Author and educator. Lived in Chile through the dark years of General Pinochet. Presently managing on a volunteer basis North South Studies development projects in Nicaragua. Recently, published an ebook version of Chili: le coup divin and of Chile: Underside of Economic This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mohamed S. Kamel: Freelance writer, editor of http://forafreeegypt.blogspot.com/, co-founder, member of the executive committee and spokesperson of The Egyptian Revolutionary Council (ERC), co-founder of the Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD-CECD). He is also member of several civil society organizations, among them Quebec Antiwar movement “Échec à la Guerre”, and Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (CJPP). Professionally, he is an engineer, LEED Green Associate and certified project manager. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and @mskamel

Background Information
On June 30 2013, exactly one year after Mohamed Morsi was democratically elected as president, large numbers of disenchanted people gathered in Tahrir square demanding the departure of Morsi. Three days later, General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, at the head of the armed forces forcefully deposed Morsi under the pretext of responding to ‘the call of the people’.
Since then, a brutal wide spread repression has gripped Egypt following a campaign to eliminate all opposition culminating in the massacres of Rabaa and Al-Nahda squares where supporters of Mohamed Morsi were camping (Aug14 2013). Canada and the West are turning a blind eye with the often mentioned excuse that better achieve ‘stability’ under a military dictatorship.
During this session, we will probe the issue of human rights versus ‘stability’. What have we learned from a similar situation; the coup of General Pinochet in Chile (1973)
Should we, in Canada be concerned? If so, what should our government do? What about our civil society?

We request That the government of Canada:

Demand the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Mohamed Fahmy, and Khaled Al-Qazzaz, permanent resident, father of four young Canadian daughters.
Demand an independent investigation in the shooting of Amr Mohamed Kassem, permanent resident, father of an infant Canadian daughter, killed during a peaceful protest in Alexandria.
Grant a special passport (diplomatic status) to Canadian journalists covering events in Egypt.
Refrain from selling armament and or ammunition to the Egyptian police or army.
Bar Egyptian officials implicated in killing protesters or human right abuses (according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International) from entry.
Monitor closely the human rights situation in Egypt and denounce abuses in accordance with international treaties signed by Canada.
Appoint a liaison person with Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy for consultations

Join us in our struggle against the military dictatorship in Egypt.

Show your solidarity with Egyptians against the coup

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy

About ECCD: Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) is a politically independent, non-affiliated pan Canadian organization with chapters in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Kingston, and St. John, which advocates for democracy and human rights in Egypt.

For more information:
www.eccd.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Samaa Elibyari: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ahmed Abdel Kader: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 514-928-8887

ECCD Statement on Establishment of Egyptian Revolutionary Council

ECCD Statement on Establishment of Egyptian Revolutionary Council

August 8 2014
Ottawa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) applauds the efforts of the participants of the August 2014 conference in Istanbul, Turkey. The establishment of the Egyptian Revolutionary Council (ERC) represents an important milestone in the continued struggle of our people against the repressive military regime that ousted president Morsi, the first democratically elected president of Egypt.

ECCD trusts that ERC will serve as a platform for "unifying Egyptian political forces and individuals outside of Egypt, and from across the political and ideological spectrum, who adhered to the principles of the January 25th Egyptian Revolution of 2011" , as stated by Mohammed Kamel, ERC spokesperson and an ECCD founding member.

As an active participant in the establishment of ERC, ECCD is encouraged by the diverse representation, caliber, and enthusiasm of the founders. ECCD encouragement is furthered by the positive reception announced by key opposition figures and movements in Egypt and abroad.

ECCD foresees ERC playing a pioneering role in solidifying the efforts of the growing international opposition to the military regime on the international stage. ECCD pledges its support to the principles and the role of the newly established ERC, and looks forward to being at the core of its development process.

The Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy

About ECCD: Egyptian Canadian Coalition for Democracy (ECCD) is a politically independent, non-affiliated pan Canadian organization with chapters in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Kingston, and St. John, which advocates for democracy and human rights in Egypt.

For more information:
www.eccd.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Samaa Elibyari: +1 (514) 288-8609
Ehab Lotayef: +1 (514) 941-9792

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