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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Egypt releases Al Jazeera journalists Fahmy and Mohamed | Egypt releases Al Jazeera journalists Fahmy and Mohamed |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Two Al Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt for broadcasting false news have been freed after receiving pardons from President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. | Two Al Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt for broadcasting false news have been freed after receiving pardons from President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. |
| Mohammed Fahmy, a Canadian, and Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian, were among 100 prisoners whose release was ordered. | Mohammed Fahmy, a Canadian, and Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian, were among 100 prisoners whose release was ordered. |
| State media said a third person from the case was also pardoned. It is not clear if this is the Australian Peter Greste, who was deported in February. | State media said a third person from the case was also pardoned. It is not clear if this is the Australian Peter Greste, who was deported in February. |
| They were sentenced to three years in prison last month after a retrial. | They were sentenced to three years in prison last month after a retrial. |
| Prosecutors accused them of collaborating with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the military in 2013. | Prosecutors accused them of collaborating with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the military in 2013. |
| The journalists denied the allegation and said they were simply reporting the news. Legal experts said the charges were unfounded and politically motivated. | The journalists denied the allegation and said they were simply reporting the news. Legal experts said the charges were unfounded and politically motivated. |
| 'Long nightmare ends' | 'Long nightmare ends' |
| A statement from President Sisi's office issued on Wednesday said Fahmy and Mohamed were named on a decree pardoning 100 young people "who had received final court sentences, having been convicted on the grounds of violating the anti-protest law and assaulting police forces". | A statement from President Sisi's office issued on Wednesday said Fahmy and Mohamed were named on a decree pardoning 100 young people "who had received final court sentences, having been convicted on the grounds of violating the anti-protest law and assaulting police forces". |
| "Other prisoners were pardoned due to their health conditions and on humanitarian grounds," it added. | "Other prisoners were pardoned due to their health conditions and on humanitarian grounds," it added. |
| Also named were the prominent activists Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif, who were jailed in 2014 for taking part in an "illegal protest". | Also named were the prominent activists Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif, who were jailed in 2014 for taking part in an "illegal protest". |
| After their release, the two journalists were dropped off in a Cairo suburb still wearing their prison uniforms. | |
| "The whole nightmare is over," said Mr Mohamed. | |
| "We're going to travel the world, we're going to celebrate, we're going to party," said Mr Fahmy. "I will continue fighting for press freedom." | |
| Al Jazeera said in a report on its website that it "continues to demand all charges and sentences against its journalists are dropped", noting that Greste and six other employees had been convicted in absentia. | Al Jazeera said in a report on its website that it "continues to demand all charges and sentences against its journalists are dropped", noting that Greste and six other employees had been convicted in absentia. |
| The pardons were issued by Mr Sisi ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha and a day before he travels to New York to address the UN General Assembly. | The pardons were issued by Mr Sisi ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha and a day before he travels to New York to address the UN General Assembly. |
| He had said he would be willing to pardon the Al Jazeera journalists once the judicial process had ended. | He had said he would be willing to pardon the Al Jazeera journalists once the judicial process had ended. |
| Fahmy, who renounced his Egyptian citizenship to qualify for deportation in February, is expected to leave for Canada following his release. | |
| The case against the journalists began in December 2013, when they were arrested at a hotel used by Al Jazeera English to report from Cairo after its bureau was raided by police. | The case against the journalists began in December 2013, when they were arrested at a hotel used by Al Jazeera English to report from Cairo after its bureau was raided by police. |
| The journalists were initially convicted in June 2014 after a trial that was widely condemned. Greste and Fahmy were sentenced to seven years in prison, while Mohamed was given a 10-year sentence after also being found guilty of possessing a spent bullet casing. | The journalists were initially convicted in June 2014 after a trial that was widely condemned. Greste and Fahmy were sentenced to seven years in prison, while Mohamed was given a 10-year sentence after also being found guilty of possessing a spent bullet casing. |
| In January, Egypt's Court of Cassation ordered a retrial after ruling that the original court had been "hasty in pronouncing its verdict". | In January, Egypt's Court of Cassation ordered a retrial after ruling that the original court had been "hasty in pronouncing its verdict". |
| Their convictions at retrial on 29 August were described as an "outrage" and an embarrassment for President Sisi by Amal Clooney, one of Fahmy's lawyers. | Their convictions at retrial on 29 August were described as an "outrage" and an embarrassment for President Sisi by Amal Clooney, one of Fahmy's lawyers. |