Peter Greste ‘will not rest’ until colleagues freed

AL-JAZEERA journalist Peter Greste will not rest until his colleagues are released from prison in Egypt, his family says.

After 400 days behind bars, Mr Greste was freed and deported on Sunday. He landed safely in Cyprus, on his way to his native Australia.

He was arrested in 2013 and tried on charges that included spreading false news and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood.

Two al-Jazeera colleagues, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, remain jailed.

Mr Fahmy, who holds dual Egyptian and Canadian citizenship, may be freed after having his Egyptian nationality revoked, presidential sources said.

But there are still concerns about Mr Mohamed, who holds no dual nationality.

Mr Greste spoke about his concerns for his colleagues to his family after his release.

Speaking at a press conference in the Australian city of Brisbane, brother Andrew Greste said: “We want to acknowledge that Peter’s two other colleagues are still there.”

His father Juris Greste said that they felt very deeply for those left behind.

Andrew Greste also thanked all those who had supported his brother and worked for his release.

“We are small cogs in this massive campaign,” he said.

The three men had been accused of collaborating with the banned Muslim Brotherhood after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the military in 2013.29 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

The first hints of her son’s release came in November, when President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said he was considering granting pardons to the two foreign al-Jazeera journalists.

He had earlier signed a decree on repatriating foreign prisoners.

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.