A Canadian man who says he was jailed and tortured in Bahrain for taking part in pro-democracy protests is now on his way home to Canada, his wife said Sunday.
Naser Al-Raas was freed in February with help from the Canadian consulate and various international rights agencies.
The Kuwait-born Canadian citizen claims he was then stranded in the country after Bahraini authorities refused to return any of his ID or belongings and the company charged with delivering a new passport allegedly lost it.
Zainab Ahmed, who married Al-Raas after he was released from prison on Feb. 6, said Sunday her husband has left Egypt.
“He is on his way to Canada. Few days and he will be there finally,” she wrote in an email to Postmedia News.
She said she expects him to arrive at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on May 2.
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It’s a time of mixed emotion, Ahmed said, noting that it may be some time before she can follow her husband to Canada.
“Naser is happy and sad at the same time and I’m so sad. He is happy going back home, but sad that I am away from him,” Ahmed said.
“I’m still not his wife ‘officially’ because we don’t have a marriage certificate. Even outside Bahrain I need a paper from the embassy that says I can marry Naser. I’m so sad that my husband is away from me and I can’t see him for a long time.”
Ahmed said she will remain in Egypt until she’s able to come to Canada to be with Al-Raas.
Al-Raas had been convicted of breaking Bahrain’s illegal-assembly laws after taking part in pro-democracy protests and was facing a five-year prison sentence.
His detention began on March 20, 2011, when Bahraini authorities arrested him at the airport.
He described his detention as a “continuous horror dream where you cannot wake up.”
“I was electrocuted six or seven times, but I was beaten every day . . . those were the worst days of my life,” he told Postmedia News in a previous interview.
Al-Raas also has an underlying heart condition – a chronic pulmonary embolism – according to a report from his doctor.
His case drew international attention, with supporters using social media and online campaigns to call for his release. Amnesty International also took up his cause.
On Sunday, a Facebook group called “Free Naser!” posted a message to thank all of his supporters.
“In just a few days, he’ll be back with his family. Thank you all for your support – this could not have happened without you!!!” the post said.
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