DUBAI: A Canadian man, his wife and two children have been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis said, adding that the government has done nothing to pressure the conservative Gulf kingdom for their release. The MP has called on the government that Canada should, at the very least, “pressure for the children, two girls, aged 18 months and five years, to be released.” He said their jailing is a violation of international law and it should not matter what the parents are charged with. In a statement released by Karygiannis' office, he said Majeed Uddin Ahmed, his wife Zareen and their two girls were picked up by police two weeks ago in Jeddah, where the family has been living for about four years. It remains unclear what prompted the arrests. Diane Ablonczy, minister of state for foreign affairs, said Canadian officials “are working to confirm the family has been detained and to gain access to them.” BM
