5 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,July 9,2020 insidehalton.com Care that's extra careful V for Vistamere We're very proud of our family of Vistamere staffers during these difficult times. They go above and beyond each and every day to help ensure the safety of our residents. So our residents just want to say, "Thank You." Vistamere Retirement Residence is located in a quiet, residential neighbourhood in west Oakville. You can still come for a virtual tour. Just go to vistamere.ca TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR TODAY vistamere.ca 380 Sherin Drive Oakville, Ontario L6L 4J3 905.847.1413 vistamere.ca Like us onFollow us on Nobody looks after you like lexus of oakville Nobody looks after you like Lexus of Oakville! AC Deodorizer Service $123 + HST ( Reg) • NOW ONLY $99 + HST • Savings of $24 Offer expires July 31, 2020, Check with your dealer for details. 1453 NOrth serviCe rOad, West akviLLe, ON L6M 2W2 lexusofoakville.ca 905.847.8400 • 1.866.lexus.66 1453 NOrth serviCe rOad, West1453 N1453 NOrth serviCe rOad, West1453 N OakviLLe, ON L6M 2W2akviakviLLe, ON L6M 2W2akvi lexusofoakville.calexusofoakville.calexusofoakville.calexusofoakville.ca 905.847.8400 • 1.866.lexus.66 The family of an Oak- ville man who was de- tained in a Cairo prison for the last 16 months is now reporting he has been re- leased. In a press release issued on Thursday, July 2 a fami- ly member announced that Yasser Ahmed Albaz hadYasser Ahmed Albaz hadY been released by Egyptian authorities and arrived earlier in the day at Toron- to Pearson International Airport. "Our family's ordeal is finally coming to an end,"finally coming to an end,"f said Amal Ahmed, Albaz's daughter, in the release. "We are forever grateful for each and every personfor each and every personf who supported our family. Yasser's health has deterio-Yasser's health has deterio-Y rated and our top priority will be his much needed medical treatment. We ask that he be given time to qui- etly heal from his ordeal and spend quality time with his family." In their statement the family expressed theirfamily expressed theirf gratitude for the support they received from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Cham- pagne, Oakville MP Anita Anand and Ambassador Jess Dutton. When reached for com- ment Anand said she was able to speak with Albaz's family and was grateful tofamily and was grateful tof welcome Albaz back to the Oakville community. Albaz was taken into custody by Egyptian au- thorities during a business trip to Egypt in February 2019. His family say no reason was ever given for Albaz's arrest and imprisonment in Cairo's notorious Tora prison and no charges were ever laid against him. Amal said that while her father is a dual citizen, hefather is a dual citizen, hef was travelling on his Cana- dian passport. She said he has no politi- cal affiliation, did nothing wrong and his arrest came as a complete shock to his family.family.f Amal and her mother, Safaa Eleshmawy made re- peated appeals to the Cana- dian government to help bring Albaz home noting he was being kept in an un- hygienic and overcrowded cell and they feared for his health. A petition Amal created in March 2019 on change- .org, which called on the Canadian government to intervene in her father's case, collected more than 109,800 signatures. The family's concerns only escalated with the ar- rival of the COVID-19 pan- demic. "On June 11, 2020, my family found out that myfamily found out that myf father is experiencing se-father is experiencing se-f vere COVID-19 symptoms. Not only is he in horribly unhygienic conditions with limited ventilation and almost non-existing medical care, he is in his fif- ties, and has pre-existing medical conditions which increase his risk and need for immediate medicalfor immediate medicalf care," said Amal in a June statement. "This is exactly what the Albaz family feared since the pandemic began- that an outbreak in the prison could cost Yasser his life." Amal said the Prime Minister spoke with Egyp- tian President Abdel Fat- tah el-Sisi about Albaz's case on June 24. Global Affairs Canada would not comment on how Albaz's release was se- cured. "Global Affairs Canada is pleased that Yasser Ah- med Albaz has been reunit- ed with his family here in Canada," wrote spokes- person Angela Savard. "Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be dis- closed." Eleshmawy said previ- ously that she and Albaz immigrated to Canada more than 20 years ago and Albaz worked hard to build an engineering company in Oakville. She also said Albaz has given back to the communi- ty through volunteer work and community building. 'OUR FAMILY'S ORDEAL IS FINALLY COMING TO AN END' DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com NEWS LOCAL MAN RELEASED AFTER 16 MONTHS IN EGYPTIAN PRISON Amal Albaz and her family recently held a number of rallies in an effort to have her father Yasser released from an Egyptian prison. Graham Paine/Torstar