Update: Presidential decree invoked for Al Jazeera’s Peter Greste

Aya Nader
2 Min Read
Australian journalist Peter Greste inside the defendants’ cage at Cairo’s Tora prison on March 5,2014. (AFP File Photo)
Australian journalist Peter Greste inside the defendants’ cage at Cairo’s Tora prison on March 5.  (AFP Photo)
Australian journalist Peter Greste inside the defendants’ cage at Cairo’s Tora prison on March 5. (AFP Photo)

The official Twitter accounts of Peter Greste and Mohamed Fahmy, two of three Al Jazeera journalists imprisoned in Egypt, said Tuesday that a presidential decree has been invoked, that could possibly lead to their release and deportation.

“We are now waiting for respective governments to meet, discuss and negotiate possible deportation,” the Greste’s post said.

Furthermore, Marwa Omara, the fiancée of Fahmy confirmed to Daily News Egypt over the phone Tuesday that the Canadian embassy is also on the negotiations for his deportation.

“There have been no approvals yet, it could take some time,” Omara said.

No official announcements were made yet by the Egyptian government. On Thursday, a cassation court accepted the journalists’ appeal and ordered a retrial.

The three Al Jazeera English journalists, Australian Greste, the Canadian Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy, and the Egyptian Baher Mohamed were initially sentenced to 7 and ten years imprisonment.

They were charged with aiding a terrorist group, tarnishing Egypt’s image abroad, and threatening Egypt’s national security.

On 13 November, Al-Sisi has approved a law allowing for the “transfer” of foreign defendants and detainees to their home countries to be tried.

Additional reporting by Amira El-Fekki

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