On behalf of Western, I want to reiterate my ongoing concern for the plight of Dr. Tarek Loubani, an assistant professor in our Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, who is currently being detained in Egypt. He, along with York University professor John Greyson, has now been held without charge for more than a week.
We urge Canadian government officials to continue their efforts to secure the safe and immediate release of these professors who are being detained without formal charges laid against them. We know consular officials in Cairo have been in contact with Profs. Loubani and Greyson and have confirmed they are in good health. We also know that officials with Canada’s Foreign Affairs Ministry have been in contact with their Egyptian counterparts concerning the incident.
Dr. Loubani has a history of participating in voluntary, humanitarian medical treatment and training abroad, which is in keeping with Schulich’s commitment to providing medical outreach that aims to improve medical care around the world. His detainment took place while en route to check-in on an emergency medicine clinic at a hospital in Gaza.
Presently, the two Canadians are being held without charge while an investigation is taking place that has no known end date. As such, we are joining other concerned voices across the country appealing to the Egyptian authorities to ensure Profs. Loubani and Greyson are released from detention as soon as possible.
Amit Chakma
President & Vice-Chancellor
Western University
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