Watch Peter Greste’s First Interview After Being Freed From An Egyptian Prison
"Amidst all this relief, I still feel a sense of concern and worry. If it's appropriate for me to be free, it's right for all of them to be freed."
After spending 400 days behind bars in Cairo, Australian Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste was finally freed this weekend. Despite being sentenced to seven years for defaming the country with false news and supporting the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood, Greste was granted his freedom due to an order by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi allowing foreign prisoners to be deported. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has stated his release will be “unconditional”.
Before his flight home today, he spoke exclusively with Al Jazeera about his incarceration, the overwhelming support he’s received from all around the world, and the ongoing struggle of those he left behind.
Both his colleagues, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, are still in Egypt serving their own seven-year sentences.
“Amidst all this relief, I still feel a sense of concern and worry,” said Greste. “If it’s appropriate for me to be free, it’s right for all of them to be freed.”
With this, Greste has called upon the Egyptian authorities to release the other journalists, but they may still have some time to go. As the Sydney Morning Herald point out, Fahmy may be granted deportation as a result of his dual Egyptian-Canadian citizenship, but Mohamed is Egyptian. The new law which allowed Greste to leave does not apply to him.
Al Jazeera welcomes the news of @PeterGreste's release and demands the release of Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. #FreeAJStaff
— AJE News (@AJENews) February 1, 2015
Despite these ongoing concerns, there’s also much cause for celebration. Greste’s release marks the end of an enormous campaign from Australian politicians, government officials and journalists and of course an extraordinarily trying time for his family and friends.
Yesterday, his brother posted the news on Twitter in trademark ‘Straya style.
Hard to believe but YES @PeterGreste is a free man. His butt has left Egyptian airspace yippeeeeee!!!!! Think I'll go and get drunk :):):)
— Andrew Greste (@AndyroosteG) February 1, 2015
Then his dad took to a press conference in the jazziest good-times party ensemble you’ve ever seen in your life.
Good job, everybody.