Fahmy gives up Egyptian passport for freedom; Baird says release is ‘imminent’

The fiancee of an Egyptian-Canadian journalist imprisoned for more than a year in Cairo says he has relinquished his Egyptian citizenship. She says Egyptian authorities essentially made freedom for Mohamed Fahmy conditional on doing so. 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.” She says authorities have told him he can return as a tourist. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird told CBC on Monday that Fahmy’s release was “imminent,” but declined to provide any more details.

John Baird’s remarks about the Canadian-Egyptian reporter come a day after Australian colleague Peter Greste was freed and then deported after serving 400 days behind bars.

Sky News reports

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.

Baird did not say if ‘imminent’ meant hours or days and Canadian diplomats have reportedly met their counterparts in Cairo to press the case for Fahmy’s release. A security source said on Sunday he was expected to be released and deported to Canada within days.

Sky News reports

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