Here is a report about the teleconference the President of the Iranian Canadian Congress, Bijan Ahmadi, had with MP Omar Alghabra, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs), about the cases of Prof. Homa Hoodfar and Saeed Malekpour:

On Friday June 17th, 2016, the President of the Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC), Bijan Ahmadi, partook in a teleconference with Member of Parliament Omar Alghabra, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs), discussing the cases of Prof. Homa Hoodfar, and Mr. Saeed Malekpour. In this conversation the ICC President expressed deep concerns in regards to the recent arrest of Prof. Homa Hoodfar and the report that her family and her lawyer have not been permitted any visitations with her since the arrest. Bijan Ahmadi, further extended trepidations about the health of Ms. Hoodfar. As her family has shared, Ms. Hoodfar is suffering from a rare and austere disease, and since her arrest her family qualms the status of her health, as they have not been able to provide her medication.

Withal, Parliamentary Secretary Omar Alghabra expressed his deep concerns about Prof. Hoodfar, in conjunction with providing reassurance to the ICC President that the government of Canada is taking measures to secure her safety and her release. According to Mr. Alghabra, Canada discussed the case with cognate allies adept to succour the matter.

Moreover, the ICC President discussed the case of Mr. Saeed Malekpour, a Canadian resident, who was imprisoned in Iran approximately 8 years ago, serving a life sentence for a software program he developed. Bijan Ahmadi accentuated that the ICC considers Mr. Malekpour as a member of the Iranian Canadian community and requests the Canadian government to follow up his case.

The present state of affairs between Iran and Canada coalesce a challenge for Canada to follow up on both the case of Prof. Hoodfar, and Mr. Saeed Malekpour. Nonetheless, Mr. Alghabra has reassured the Iranian Canadian Congress of his assurance to examine further, the case of Mr. Malekpour, apprising the ICC of the prospective steps to be taken in this matter.

Bijan Ahmadi extended his gratitude to Parliamentary Secretary Omar Alghabra, and his team, for their prompt pursuing of the case of Prof. Hoodfar and opportune response to ICC's follow up.  Conversant of the Iranian Canadian Congress’s readiness in providing any, and all, assistance and support in regards to both the case of Prof. Hoodfar, and Saeed Malekpour, in consonance, Parliamentary Secretary Omar Alghabra and Bijan Ahmadi will recommence communication concerning both cases in forthcoming weeks.