Two Canadians—a doctor and a filmmaker—are being held in a jail in Egypt.
They have been there since Aug. 16.
Tarek Loubani and John Greyson have been told that they, along with about 600 others arrested in August, will be held for 45 more days.
On August 16, Loubani and Greyson witnessed a violent clash between Egyptian security forces and supporters of the country’s former president, Mohammed Morsi.
Dr. Loubani had travelled to Egypt to volunteer at a hospital. Greyson was there to make a short film about Loubani and his work.
When they saw the clash happen, they did what they do best: Dr. Loubani started treating the wounded and Greyson filmed the incident.
They were then arrested and thrown into jail, where they were treated very badly.
The prison where the two are being held, south of Cairo, is small, crowded and has conditions that could be hazardous to a person’s health.
An article in the Globe and Mail newspaper explains that “it is difficult to overstate the level of tension and stark fear” in Cairo and the surrounding areas. “Large parts of the city were a battle zone,” writes Globe reporter Carol Berger.
The region had a night-time curfew in place, meaning that people were not allowed to be outside after a certain time in the evening.
Given the tensions, the Egyptian security forces may have been suspicious of the two men and the reason they were in the area.
The Canadian government wants the Egyptian government to let Loubani and Greyson go home.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Canada is asking Egypt to release Dr. Loubani and Mr. Greyson. How might Canada be able to convince Egypt to free these prisoners? Can/Should Canada offer Egypt anything in return?
Reading Prompt: Metacognition
What information regarding the situation in Egypt did you use to help you understand today’s story? How does knowing background information help you understand the texts you are reading?
Junior
Identify the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading and explain, in conversation with the teacher and/or peers or in a reader’s notebook, how they can use these and other strategies to improve as readers (OME, Reading: 4.1).
Intermediate
Identify a range of strategies they found helpful before, during, and after reading and explain, in conversation with the teacher and/or peers or in a reader’s notebook, how they can use these and other strategies to improve as readers (OME, Reading: 4.1).
Grammar Feature: What’s up Doc?
The word “doctor” is fascinating. “Doctor” comes from a Latin verb (action word) meaning “to teach.” But “doctor” can also be a noun. In addition, when abbreviated, “doctor” becomes “dr.,” while “doctors” becomes “drs.”
What English words are derived from the Latin words below.
Decimus meaning tenth.
Creare meaning make.
Tornare meaning rotate.
Reptus meaning crawl.
Surgere meaning rise.
