Al Jazeera to continue to push for justice for other jailed journalists
Al Jazeera is relieved that its journalist Peter Greste has been released from a Cairo jail, while concerned for his colleagues who remain in detention, the managing director of Al Jazeera English said on Sunday (February 1).
Peter Greste was released on Sunday and left Egypt for his native Australia after 400 days in prison on charges that included aiding a terrorist group, security officials said.
There was no official word on the fate of his two Al Jazeera colleagues - Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian national Baher Mohamed - who were also jailed in the case that provoked an international outcry.
Speaking during an interview in the Doha studios of Al Jazeera, managing director Al Anstey said emotions were mixed as Greste was released.
"We spoke to Peter earlier on this afternoon, just after he was released from detention, and 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. Today's a day of very mixed emotions and I think we have to focus on the fact thatBaher and Mohamed are still behind bars 400 days after being taken into detention and that injustice needs to come to an end. They are guilty of nothing apart from great journalism," he said.
He said these concerns were shared by Greste.
"Peter is extremely strong. He is clearly extremely relieved to have been released from detention and on his way to be reunited with his family, but Peter is extremely concerned for his colleagues, for Mohamed and for Baher who remain behind bars for 400 days despite their innocence," said Anstey.
Anstey said it was unclear just why Greste had been released.
"It's very unclear what is happening right now with Mohamed and Baher and exactly what underpins the decision that ultimately led to Peter leaving detention today. So it's very difficult to confirm exactly what the status is for Mohamed or for Baher," he said.
Anstey called for further support from journalists and others around the world for the release of Fahmy and Mohamed.
"Look, the worldwide campaign, the solidarity and the support that has been shown for the last 400 days calling for an end to this injustice - that worldwide solidarity and support has been loud and has been concerted. Leaders right across the globe, media institutions right across the globe, journalists right across the globe and people right across the globe have stood up and said, enough is enough, these guys have got to be released. And wider to that, journalists have got to be able to carry out the job that they do, that important job they do without challenge and without constraint," he said.
"So that worldwide solidarity and support is immensely important and we are hugely grateful for it, but that needs to continue until that injustice has ended and then beyond, to stand on behalf of journalists to be able to do their job. For people out there to have a right to be heard and a right to be informed," he added.
Anstey said it was hard to be confident of their eventual release, but urged continuing global solidarity.
"It's very unclear, and therefore it's very difficult to say with confidence exactly what led to the end of Peter's detention today. There have been so many twists and turns in the last 400 days, there's been so much hope that the injustice would be ended at various points through the trial, sentencing and thereafter, that it's very difficult to say one is confident. I just hope that the injustice is ended soon and the worldwide solidarity and support - that call for the injustice to come to an end - that's going to continue until it does. And then after the stand and solidarity on behalf of journalists to do their job in all corners of the world will continue," he said.
The three journalists were sentenced to seven to 10 years on charges including spreading lies to help a terrorist organisation - a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. One month ago, however, a court ordered their retrial.
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