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Egypt pardons jailed Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy and prominent human rights activists Egypt frees jailed Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy and prominent human rights activists
(1 day later)
A lawyer and Egypt's state-run news agency say President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has pardoned a Canadian journalist for Al-Jazeera English, Mohamed Fahmy, along with prominent human rights activists. Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed, journalists for Al-Jazeera's English-language news service, have been released from prison after being pardoned by Egypt's president, according to the Egyptian state-run news agency.
The news agency MENA says el-Sissi has ordered those pardoned be released on 23 September. Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian national Baher Mohammed — were originally arrested in December 2013 and sentenced to three years in prison last month for airing what a court here described as "false news" and biased coverage.
Lawyer Khaled Abu Bakr confirmed the pardon and says his client is a "professional and innocent journalist." Fahmy and Mohammed were released just hours after the pardon was announced, and dropped off by police in a Cairo suburb. It was not immediately clear if all other of a total of 100 prisoners pardoned by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi were also freed on Wednesday.
Fahmy was sentenced to three years in prison last month for airing what a court described as "false news" and biased coverage. His colleague Baher Mohammed was also sentenced in the case. It wasn't immediately clear if Mohammed was also pardoned. Lawyer Khaled Abu Bakr confirmed the release and says his client is a "professional and innocent journalist."
Al-Jazeera said in a statement that it was "delighted for them both" and added, "it is hard to celebrate though as this whole episode should not have happened in the first place."
Prominent activists Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif are among those pardoned, according to MENA.Prominent activists Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif are among those pardoned, according to MENA.
APAP