The following letter was emailed from the IDA to John Baird, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of detained documentary filmmaker John Greyson this morning. He is being held in Cairo, Egypt, where civil unrest and protests are rampant. Greyson has been held since Friday, August 16.
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Dear Minister Baird,
The International Documentary Association (IDA) represents over 1,800 filmmakers in North America and around the world. We are dedicated to defending the rights and freedoms of documentary artists, activists, and storytellers, which is why we are reaching out to you today. We are deeply troubled to hear about the arrest and incarceration of veteran documentary filmmaker John Greyson in Cairo.
Like the rest of the world, we are closely following the escalating levels of unrest and violence throughout Egypt, which is why we are alarmed to hear that Mr. Greyson is still in custody. The IDA hopes that with your help, our voice and the voices of the filmmakers we represent will reach the Egyptian authorities responsible for this decision.
The IDA is requesting your urgent intervention in this matter to help ensure Mr. Greyson's safety and rights to due process. Our thoughts and support go out to the many journalists in Egypt who have been arrested and killed in the recent protests and unrest, and we hope that with the efforts of the global community we can ensure due process for them all.
Sincerely,
Michael Lumpkin
Executive Director
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For those interested in supporting the release of Greyson, please sign this petition on Change.org.