CAIRO — Two Al-Jazeera English journalists were released from an Egyptian prison on Friday, after spending more than a year behind bars on terror-related charges in a case denounced as a sham by rights groups and the international community.
The two — Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed — were freed pending a retrial. The network said by midday that they have been reunited with their families in Cairo. A third co-worker, Australian Peter Greste, was freed two weeks ago and deported to his home-country, Australia.
Baher was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison and Fahmy to seven years but Egypt’s top appeals court subsequently ordered a retrial after overturning the initial ruling, citing “flawed evidence.” On the first session of the retrial on Thursday, the judge ordered their release.
Now that both are out, their next court hearing is due Feb. 23 and they have to check in at a police station every day until then.
–
From Australia, Greste expressed his joy but said it was too soon for unreserved celebrations.
“The trial is ongoing, and nobody has yet been acquitted,” Greste said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to the day when the court declares all of us innocent of the charges. Then the party will really begin.”
___
Associated Press Writer Maggie Michael contributed to this report from Cairo.
