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Egypt Releases and Deports Al Jazeera Journalist Peter Greste From Australia Egypt Releases and Deports Al Jazeera Journalist Peter Greste of Australia
(about 4 hours later)
CAIRO — The Egyptian authorities have released and deported an Australian journalist jailed for more than a year in a case that had been criticized by human rights groups. CAIRO — The Egyptian authorities have deported an Australian television journalist jailed for more than a year on politicized charges about the content of his work.
The Australian, Peter Greste, is one of three journalists for Al Jazeera’s English-language affiliate jailed on charges of reporting false news in a conspiracy with the Muslim Brotherhood to destabilize the country. The Australian, Peter Greste, is one of three journalists for Al Jazeera’s English-language affiliate jailed on allegations of reporting false news in a conspiracy with the Muslim Brotherhood to destabilize the country. The other two, along with at least nine other journalists, remain in prison.
Although Egypt has a long history of jailing critical or dissenting Egyptian journalists, the authorities have generally left alone Western journalists. Egypt has a long history of jailing critical or dissenting Egyptian journalists. But its authorities have generally left correspondents who work for international news organizations alone. Mr. Greste had left the BBC to join Al Jazeera’s English-language network shortly before his arrest.
The incarceration of Mr. Greste, an Australian who worked for the BBC until shortly before his arrest, and his colleagues sent a tremor of anxiety through the international media contingent here, and some Egyptian journalists said privately that it appeared intended to send a warning message to them as well. His incarceration sent a tremor of anxiety through the international news media here, and some Egyptian journalists said privately that it appeared intended to convey a warning.
Many analysts here also argued that the case was also an attempt to punish Qatar, which owns Al Jazeera and nurtured close ties to President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood before he was ousted in a military takeover by the current president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Al Jazeera’s Arabic language networks, most notably a dedicated Egyptian channel, provided sympathetic coverage of the Brotherhood and critical coverage of the takeover. Many analysts viewed the case as an attempt to punish Qatar, which owns Al Jazeera. Qatar nurtured close ties to President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood before he was ousted in a 2013 military takeover by the current president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Al Jazeera’s Arabic networks, most notably a dedicated Egyptian channel, provided consistently sympathetic coverage of the Brotherhood and caustic coverage of Mr. Sisi’s takeover.
A recent decision by Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera’s Egyptian channel as part of a reconciliation agreement with Egypt brokered by Saudi Arabia may have helped pave the way for Mr. Greste’s release. But Egypt did not disclose the specific reasons for its decision or the timing. A recent decision by Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera’s Egyptian channel may have helped clear the way for Mr. Greste’s release. The decision was part of a reconciliation meeting between Qatar and Egypt brokered by Saudi Arabia, and observers close to the Egyptian authorities immediately began speculating about a possible release of the Al Jazeera journalists. Yet Egypt did not disclose its specific reasons for the release or its timing.
All three Al Jazeera English journalists who were imprisoned in Egypt are experienced veterans of highly respected international news organizations, including the BBC, CNN and a major Japanese network. They were arrested on the same charges at the end of 2013, and prosecutors presented no public evidence to support the charges before the journalists were convicted. They received sentences of at least seven years in prison. The official state news agency said Mr. Sisi had approved the release under a decree he issued a few months ago giving himself the power to deport convicted prisoners who are citizens of other nations. (With no Parliament at the moment, Mr. Sisi rules by decree.)
The official state news agency said Mr. Sisi had approved the release, presumably under a decree he issued a few months ago giving himself the power to deport convicted prisoners who are citizens of other nations. Another of the jailed Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, is a dual citizen of Egypt and Canada who previously worked as a producer for CNN. He has also worked as a reporting assistant for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and other publications. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, Egyptian officials said they expected that he would soon be deported to Canada. But he is expected to give up his Egyptian citizenship to obtain his release.
The other two Al Jazeera English journalists remain in prison: Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, a dual citizen of Egypt and Canada, and Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian. “Egyptian citizenship vs. freedom: take your pick?” Mr. Fahmy wrote from his detention in a message posted on Twitter.
Egypt does not recognize dual nationality, treating Mr. Fahmy as only an Egyptian citizen. But it is possible he may be allowed to give up his Egyptian citizenship in order to be released to Canada. Mr. Mohamed has no such recourse. The third jailed Al Jazeera journalist, Baher Mohamed, previously worked for the Japanese media company Asahi Shimbun. He is an Egyptian citizen, so he has no recourse under the new law allowing deportation.
Badr Abdelatty, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, said that by 5 p.m. on Sunday Mr. Greste had already flown out of Egypt. “He left to his country,” Mr. Abdelatty said. All three were arrested at the end of 2013 on the same charges of conspiring with the Brotherhood to spread false news, and prosecutors presented no public evidence to support the accusations before the journalists were convicted. Mr. Greste and Mr. Fahmy were each sentenced to seven years in prison, and Mr. Mohamed was given 10 years because a used bullet casing was found in his possession. His lawyer said he had picked it up at the scene of a protest.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent nonprofit group, said in December that at least 12 journalists were in jail in Egypt, most of them Egyptian citizens. Mr. Greste’s departure presumably reduces that number to at least 11. Egypt has faced heavy criticism from Western leaders, rights groups and the international media over the case, and Mr. Sisi has suggested that deporting the foreigners might have been a preferable way to handle their sentencing from the start.
The Egyptian law allowing the deportation of the foreigners stipulates that they face prison or trial in their home country, but neither Australia nor Canada is likely to uphold the convictions.
By 5 p.m. on Sunday, Mr. Greste had boarded a plane for Cyprus, the first stop on his return to Australia, according to news reports. “He left to his country,” said Badr Abdelatty, an Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman.
“Hard to believe, but YES,” Andrew Greste, Peter’s brother, wrote on Twitter. Peter Greste “is a free man.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent nonprofit group, said that as of December there were at least 12 journalists in jail in Egypt. Except for Mr. Greste and Mr. Fahmy, the rest appear to be Egyptian citizens. Most are linked to Islamist news outlets critical of the current government.