1 February 2015
Last updated at 15:11 ET
Orla Guerin: "Peter Greste and his colleagues insist that the only thing they are guilty of is doing their jobs"
Al-Jazeera
journalist Peter Greste has been freed and deported from Egypt and
flown to Cyprus, bringing an end to 400 days behind bars.
The Australian ex-BBC correspondent was arrested in December
2013 and tried on charges that included spreading false news and aiding
the Muslim Brotherhood.
Two other al-Jazeera men, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, remain in detention.
Reports said Mr Fahmy would be deported to Canada, but concern remains about Mr Mohamed, who holds no dual nationality.
Mr Fahmy, who holds dual Egyptian and Canadian citizenship,
may be freed after having his Egyptian nationality revoked, presidential
sources said.
All the defendants denied the charges against them and said their trial was a sham.
They were accused of collaborating with the banned Muslim
Brotherhood after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the
military in 2013.
In their defence, the three men said they were simply reporting the news.
Mr Greste's brother Andrew said in a statement: "We're
ecstatic that Peter has been released and we now ask if the world could
respect his privacy, to give him time to appreciate his freedom before
he faces the media."
Peter Greste's parents have spearheaded the campaign for his release
Al-Jazeera tweeted that it welcomed Peter Greste's release and demanded Mr Fahmy and Mr Mohamed be freed.
Mostefa Souag, acting director-general of al-Jazeera media
network, said in a statement: "We're pleased for Peter and his family
that they are to be reunited. It has been an incredible and
unjustifiable ordeal for them, and they have coped with incredible
dignity...
"We will not rest until Baher and Mohamed also regain their freedom.
"The Egyptian authorities have it in their power to finish this properly today, and that is exactly what they must do."
'Relieved and delighted'
Mr Greste's release came after a long campaign and a series of hints from Egyptian officials.
In November, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said he was
considering the possibility of granting pardons to the two foreign
al-Jazeera journalists. He had earlier signed a decree on repatriating
foreign prisoners.
The BBC's Richard Galpin reports on how Peter Greste ended up in jail
Then in January, Egypt's top court ordered a retrial of all three men.
Mr Greste's release was eventually confirmed by a statement issued by the Egyptian Interior Ministry.
The statement said it had been "decided to extradite
Australian journalist Peter Greste... to his country today, 1 February
(2015)... after the cabinet's approval, in enforcement of the
Presidential Decree no. 140 for the year 2014 regarding the rulings on
extraditing defendants and deporting the convicts".
An official told Associated Press the release had been co-ordinated with the Australian embassy in Cairo.
Mr Greste left Cairo for Larnaca, Cyprus at about 16:00 local
time on Sunday. His brother Mike and airport officials later confirmed
that he landed at Larnaca airport.
He is now expected to travel to his native Australia, where
his parents Lois and Juris, and brother Andrew, are due to speak at
10:00 on Monday (00:00 GMT).
Timeline: Journalists' detention
Mr Fahmy (left) and Mr Mohamed remain in jail
29 December 2013: Peter Greste and Mohamed Fahmy arrested in police raid on Cairo's Marriott Hotel. Baher Mohamed later arrested at home
- 29 January 2014: 20 people including the three
journalists referred to trial, charged with spreading false news,
belonging to a terrorist organisation and operating without a permit
- 22 February: First court appearance of the three journalists
- 23 June: Defendants sentenced to seven years, with Baher Mohamed receiving an additional three years
- 12 November: President Sisi signs decree allowing repatriation of foreign prisoners
- 1 January 2015: Highest court orders retrial, but the three journalists not allowed bail
How journalists were jailed in Egypt
Who are the jailed journalists?
Colleagues' joy
There has been a huge international campaign to try to secure the release of the reporters.
Al-Jazeera's managing director Al Anstey said: "I can't tell
you how relieved we are that Peter has left Egypt and is on his way to
be reunited with his family."
Sue Turton, an al-Jazeera journalist charged in absentia and
sentenced to 10 years in prison by Egypt's court, told the BBC all her
colleagues "were delighted" that he was released.
Sue Turton: Peter Greste phoned and said we still have to get the other two out
She said one of her colleagues managed to talk to Mr Greste on
the phone as he waited at a departure lounge at Cairo's airport. She
said "he was joking, and obviously he's elated. But his second sentence
straight after that elation was - we've still got to get the other two
out".
Mr Fahmy holds Egyptian and Canadian citizenship and was al-Jazeera's Cairo bureau chief.
His fiancee, Marwa Omara, quoted by Reuters, said she was "hopeful" he would also soon be released and deported to Canada.
Mr Mohamed, a producer, is an Egyptian national and therefore not subject to deportation. His fate is not clear.
In their original trial, Mr Greste and Mr Fahmy were sentenced to seven years and Mr Mohamed to 10.
The case has caused tension between Egypt and Qatar - where
al-Jazeera is based - although ties between the nations have improved
recently.
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