Dr. Ezzat Gouda recalls his wife香蕉视频直播檚 disbelief when he told her his refugee claim in Canada had been denied, and he would be sent back to his home country 香蕉视频直播� where he faces a death sentence.

香蕉视频直播淪he said, 香蕉视频直播楬ow is this possible, in a country like Canada?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� he said in Arabic through an interpreter on Monday.

Gouda was speaking two days before he is scheduled to fly home to Egypt, where the legal system has sentenced him to capital punishment.

The couple, who have had to live apart since 2014, always dreamt that one day she could join him in Canada, he said. Now they fear they will have to endure terror together in Egypt.

Gouda, a retired obstetrician,has been ordered to return to Egypt by Nov. 1, despite claims that he will be persecuted and killed in that country because of his political affiliations in the aftermath of the Arab Spring revolution.

香蕉视频直播淚 was shocked because I had submitted official documents, authentic documents of my life sentence and my death sentence,香蕉视频直播� he said. He was found guilty in absentia in connection with two demonstrations that turned violent in 2013.

He showed Canadian officials court documents that prove he has been sentenced to death in Egypt, but the senior immigration officer felt they were too vague and insufficient for his refugee claim to be accepted, a written decision shows.

香蕉视频直播淚 note that both of these court orders are dated approximately eight years ago and the details of the charges and grounds for the arrest were not provided,香蕉视频直播� the official said in the decision.

Gouda had already been arrested without charges several times by 2011, when millions of Egyptians staged an uprising known to protest against the country香蕉视频直播檚 president at the time, Hosni Mubarak, and demand democracy. It was one of a number of anti-government rebellions in the Middle East around that time, in a movement known as the Arab Spring.

Gouda said he helped establish the Freedom and Justice Party, which was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood group and came to power following the country香蕉视频直播檚 2012 elections.

In 2013, Egypt香蕉视频直播檚 army chief seized power in a military coup against the elected party香蕉视频直播檚 government. Since then, Egyptian authorities have arrested thousands of the party香蕉视频直播檚 members and Muslim Brotherhood supporters after labelling them as terrorists in a campaign that Amnesty International called a 香蕉视频直播渞uthless bid to crush dissent.香蕉视频直播�

The days after the coup were full of fear and grief for Gouda and his family. He said his 26-year-old son, Abdul Rahman, was shot and killed while participating in a march against the military takeover.

Days later, dozens of men with weapons broke into his father香蕉视频直播檚 house, where he was staying with several family members, at 4 a.m. They also destroyed his clinic, he said. He hasn香蕉视频直播檛 returned to the home or clinic since.

The following month, on Aug. 16, 2013, he said his second son, Omar, was fatally shot while participating in what Gouda describes as a peaceful protest. Gouda was working in the hospital when his wife called to tell him that their son was killed. Omar香蕉视频直播檚 body was brought to the mortuary in the hospital the next day.

Gouda said police and army officers continued to harass his family, and even stormed his home while he was away, until he fled to Djibouti in 2014.

He hoped his wife and two remaining children would be able to join him, he said. But her passport was confiscated and the family香蕉视频直播檚 assets were seized.

He continued to work as a physician in Djibouti until he reached retirement age last year, but once he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 allowed to work he had to leave the country, he said.

He was denied a visa to Canada and instead entered the country at the unofficial Roxham Road crossing between Canada and the United States in March 2022.

He told immigration officials he feared living in the United States because of increased hatred and racism toward Muslims.

Gouda香蕉视频直播檚 account matches the evidence he provided to immigration officials in his bid to remain in Canada.

The decision to deny his refugee status was handed down in December.

香蕉视频直播淜nowing Canada is the country of 香蕉视频直播� respect (for) human rights and freedoms, and this is why I came here, I was shocked that this was the decision that came through,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Over the last year, Gouda said his family continued to be harassed by the Egyptian state and questioned about his location.

Earlier this year, he said his son-in-law was detained, tortured and questioned for five months.

香蕉视频直播淭he Egyptian government has been looking for me and if the Canadian government sends me to Egypt, the Canadian government is writing my death sentence,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Gouda has a flight booked back to Egypt on Nov. 1.

Last year, dozens of Muslim Canadian organizations implored the prime minister to intervene on behalf of similar refugee claimants in Vancouver.

The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council warned that five families could be kicked out of Canada because of their ties to the same political entities.

In the one of those cases, Abdelrahman Elmady香蕉视频直播檚 refugee claim was denied in Vancouver after the CBSA characterized him as a 香蕉视频直播渟ecurity threat香蕉视频直播� because of ties to the Freedom and Justice Party in his home country.

The council said at the time that he was deemed a security risk because of the party香蕉视频直播檚 connection to the Muslim Brotherhood. Neither group is listed as a terrorist entity in Canada.

Elmady has since applied for ministerial relief.

As for Gouda, he said he is hoping Canada will reconsider its deportation order and re-evaluate the risk he faces in Egypt.

He fears his return is unlikely to be a happy reunion for his family.

香蕉视频直播淢y wife and daughters live in constant fear and this has just made it worse,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey have anxiety and fear for my life if I香蕉视频直播檓 returned.香蕉视频直播�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press