Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, a 36‑year-old Canadian researcher, Raouf Farrah, was recently sentenced to two years in prison in Algeria. He has been held in an Algerian jail since February on charges of receiving funds that would disturb the public peace. Every observer agrees that these charges are baseless. According to PEN America, this unjust sentence against Raouf Farrah illustrates how far the Algerian government is willing to go to stamp out critical commentary and independent scholarship.

Senator Gold, can you give us any information about steps under way to try to have Mr. Farrah freed from prison?