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Al-Jazeera's Fahmy and Baher freed

February 13, 2015

Al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed have been released. Both are now on parole pending a retrial.

https://p.dw.com/p/1Eb0z
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Elfiqi

Canadian Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy (pictured right) and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed (left) were released from jail Friday, after more than a year of imprisonment on terror-related charges. They were let out one day after an Egyptian court ordered their release. While Baher was released without bail, Fahmy had to pay $32,890 (28,852 euros).

Fahmy's brother tweeted about his brother's release:

Baher's colleague Abdullah Elshamy posted a picture of the freed journalist with his family:

"Bail is a small step in the right direction and allows Baher and Mohammed to spend time with their families after 411 days apart," an Al-Jazeera spokesman said on the news network's website.

Al-Jazeera's focus would however still be on "the court reaching the correct verdict at the next hearing by dismissing this absurd case and releasing both these fine journalists unconditionally," the spokesman added.

The next hearing was to take place on February 23, Judge Hassan Farid told the court on Thursday, with both men required to check into a police station daily until then, Fahmy's brother tweeted.

Mohamed Fahmy and his two colleagues Baher Mohammed and Australian citizen Peter Greste were arrested in December 2013 after being accused of being involved with the Muslim Brotherhood, which was banned as a terrorist group after the army ousted former President Mohammed Morsi earlier that year. They were sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Greste was freed and deported to Australia on February 1 after a new law allowed President Abdel-Fattha el-Sissi to deport foreigners who are on trial or had been convicted. Fahmy had renounced his Egyptian citizenship to qualify for the deportation.

mg/kms (AP, AFP)