Al-Jazeera journalists pardoned by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
By Ruth Pollard
Updated September 24, 2015 — 9.51am first published September 23, 2015 — 10.50pm
Two al-Jazeera journalists who were jailed last month following a retrial for reporting false news are today home with their families after Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a sudden pardon for 100 prisoners.
Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy and his Egyptian colleague Baher Mohamed along with several prominent human rights activists walked free on Wednesday, deeply relieved and grateful for the sustained international campaign that ensured their case remained a serious political headache for Egypt.
It is unclear whether Australian journalist Peter Greste, who was deported to Australia in February, and several other al-Jazeera colleagues who were sentenced to prison in absentia, were among those pardoned.
The list of presidential pardons includes a "third person" from al-Jazeera, but that person is not named.
Al-Jazeera English producer Baher Mohamed, left, Canadian-Egyptian Acting Cairo Bureau Chief Mohamed Fahmy, centre, and correspondent Peter Greste, right, face court in Cairo in 2014. The Qatari channel's reporting has been a major source of tension between Doha and its Arab neighbours. Credit:AP
The pardons came as the President prepared to fly to New York for the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly and followed a hail of international criticism over Egypt's practice of routinely jailing journalists and activists to silence dissent.
There was much confusion following the announcement of the pardons and, while Fairfax Media has yet to see the list, state media is reporting that both Fahmy and Mohamed are named as among those to be freed from jail late on Wednesday.
"We are just speechless," Adel Fahmy, Mohamed's brother told the Toronto Star when he learnt of the news, also timed to coincide with the Muslim feast Eid Al-Adha.
Fahmy and Mohamed were sent back to prison last month after a retrial that followed an appeal and a drawn-out and deeply flawed court process that initially resulted in the two, as well as Greste, serving more than 400 days in jail.
Surprise move... Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has pardoned 100 prisoners, including two Al Jazeera journalists. Credit:Getty Images
All three were jailed on charges of aiding a terrorist group – the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood – as well as reporting false news that damaged Egypt's international reputation.
The journalists have consistently denied the allegations, insisting they were simply reporting the news during the turbulent months leading up to the downfall of Egypt's first democratically elected president Mohamed Morsi.
Peter Greste is 'overjoyed' at the news his Al Jazeera colleagues have been released but is still looking to have charges against him dropped by Egypt. Credit:Peter Rae
Lawyer and feminist activist Yara Sallam and human rights activist Sanaa Seif, who were jailed more than a year ago following a peaceful protest that was ruled in contravention of Egypt's controversial protest law, were also pardoned.
Human rights groups say that at least 16,000 people have been jailed in Egypt in the vicious security crackdown that followed Mr Sisi's rise to power, with some groups putting that figure as high as 40,000.
At least 18 journalists are among the many thousands of political prisoners, including photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, also known as "Shawkan", who has been held in prison since August 2013 without charge and repeatedly denied bail.
"We have not digested the fact that we are free, we don't have to worry about anything else," Fahmy told Associated Press. "Our families have suffered so much since the beginning of this trial and we're very happy that el-Sisi took this action and released us."
"Overjoyed," was Greste's response at the news of the release of his colleagues.
"More than anything else, we've been concerned for their safety, concerned for their welfare," he told al-Jazeera.
But he pointed out it is yet to be confirmed that all charges would be dropped against all journalists caught up in the case.
"President Sisi has taken a very important step in restoring confidence in the system but it is only a partial step," Greste said.
He told Fairfax Media last month that as long as he has a conviction recorded against his name, "I won't be able to travel to any country that has an extradition treaty with Egypt ... I am concerned about my career and what it will mean for me professionally and personally."
Al-Jazeera Media Network's acting director general Mostefa Souag said it was difficult to celebrate, given their imprisonment should never have happened.
"They've lost nearly two years of their lives when they were guilty of nothing except journalism.
"The case for seven journalists convicted in absentia continues," he said. "They may not be behind bars, but their families and careers have been affected immeasurably. We urge the Egyptian authorities to quash their cases and let them too get on with their lives."
One of those journalists, Sue Turton, who was charged, tried in absentia and sentenced to the maximum of 10 years in prison in the first trial, announced in July the threat of extradition to Egypt had forced her to quit her job as a foreign correspondent.
"In the past year I've had to turn down trips to Mauritania, Djibouti, Somalia, Libya and beyond because of my conviction in Egypt," Turton wrote in The Independent.
A statement released by Mr Sisi on Wednesday said the two journalists were named in 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 noted.
The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed the pardons but warned it was just the first step.
"Egypt can begin tackling its shameful record of press freedom by releasing all journalists imprisoned for their work in the country," it said.
Greste told Fairfax Media on Thursday morning that he still did not know whether he was among those who had been pardoned, and did not expect to find out until Monday at the earliest.
"I've received no news, so the closest thing that we can say is that the situation is ambiguous," he said.
"My name was not on the list of 100 people who have been pardoned, but there are supplementary lists that are sometimes released. We understand that up to 350 people might have been pardoned, and so we need to wait and see."
Greste said that, until he heard word either way, he could only assume that "I remain a convicted terrorist".
Despite news of the pardons overnight, Greste was flying to New York on Thursday morning to continue to lobby world leaders.
"I'm going to follow through on my original plan, which was to go to the States to lobby to encourage politicians and world leaders to continue to support us and encourage Egypt to follow through on pardons for all," he said.
With Megan Levy
Ruth Pollard
Middle East Correspondent Ruth Pollard has reported on the Arab revolutions, the battle against the Islamic State, tensions in the West Bank and Egypt's power struggle. Her job has taken her to Libya, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Tunisia and beyond and in 2014 she won a Walkley Award for her coverage of the war in Gaza.