Detained Al Jazeera journalist Fahmy’s release is “imminent”: Canada

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird told CBC on Monday that the release of Mohamed Fahmy, an Egyptian-Canadian journalist imprisoned for more than a year in Cairo, is “imminent,” but declined to provide any more details. Meanwhile, Fahmy’s fiancee says he has relinquished his Egyptian citizenship. Marwa Omara tells The Canadian Press that it was a very difficult decision for him because Fahmy is a “proud Egyptian who comes from a family of military servicemen,” but Egyptian authorities made it a condition of his release. She says authorities have told him he can return as a tourist.

They told him: ‘Nationality is in the heart, and you can come in as a tourist’.

Marwa Omara, fiancee of Mohamed Fahmy

Fahmy and two Al Jazeera colleagues — Australian journalist Peter Greste and Egyptian Baher Mohamed — were arrested in December 2013 and later convicted of terror charges. The three were sentenced last June to between seven and 10 years on charges including spreading lies to help a “terrorist organisation.” This was a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, which swept to power after the country’s 2011 revolution but was then overthrown by the military two years later. Greste said he was “relieved” to be freed but felt “incredible angst” about his two colleagues behind bars.

Amidst all of this relief I still feel a sense of concern, a really sense of worry because if it is appropriate for me to be free then it’s right for all of them to be free.

Released Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste

Politics Mohamed Fahmy