Canadian trade union member and world-renowned filmmaker, John Greyson, was arrested along with a Canadian colleague, Dr. Tarek Loubani, in Egypt on 16 August 2013. The two are still being held without charges in Cairo’s Tora prison.

Now the Egyptian prosecutor is threatening to hold all foreigners in prison for an additional 15 days without charges. The men were passing through Egypt to participate in a medical and academic project co-sponsored by the University of Western Ontario with the Al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza strip. The border was closed, and roadblocks prevented their passage to a hotel. They stopped at a police station to ask for assistance, and were instead arrested and thrown in prison.

John Greyson, a professor of film studies, is a member of the York University Faculty Association (YUFA), affiliated with the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) represented by the global union federation Education International. Greyson’s life work centres on labour rights, social justice and peace issues. Dr. Loubani is an emergency room physician dedicated to humanitarian work.

Please add your voice to the outpouring of public support for John and Tarek.

Please go to the LabourStart Campaign website and sign the petition calling for their release.