Family 'horror-struck' over detention of Canadian man in Egypt

The family of a Canadian man detained in Egypt while attempting to return home from a trip to the country have said they are "horror-struck" at his forced disappearance, urging intervention from Ottawa to secure his release.

Yasser Ahmed Albaz had been visiting Egypt since December for business and was detained while trying to board his flight back to Canada, his family said.

His passport was confiscated and he was told by an official that his name had been flagged for investigation.

Albaz texted his family to say he loved them and that state security forces were detaining him. His family haven't heard from him since.

"The biggest concern for us is his safety," his daughter Amal Ahmed Albaz told CBC News on Saturday. "Our family was horror-struck."

Canada said it was aware of the detention of one of its citizens but said it could not disclose any further information.

Albaz's daughter says Egypt initially denied it was holding him before admitting he was in custody. Amal Albaz said her father, an engineer, is not political and she can think of no reason for his arrest

"An injustice has been done to my father," she said, adding that the family are worried about the conditions of his detention. "We need him home now."

The Albaz family are originally from Egypt and take regular holidays and business trips to the country.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen one of the largest crackdowns on dissent in the country's modern history since the overthrow by the military, then led by him, of former President Mohamed Morsi.

Sisi's regime has arrested or charged at least 60,000 people since the 2013 coup, human rights groups say.

The use of torture and ill-treatment against prisoners is routine.