Australian journalist Peter Greste is finally on his way home after being released from an Egyptian jail and rushed out of the country.
After 400 days behind bars, the Al Jazeera reporter has arrived in Cyprus and will soon be back in Australia, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Monday.
“He was immensely relieved and he was desperate to come home to Australia and reunite with his family,” she said, after speaking to the reporter shortly after he walked free.
Greste was allowed to leave Egypt overnight on the order of Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, under a new law permitting foreign prisoners to be deported.
He is travelling with his brother Michael and is said to be in good health, despite his long and challenging ordeal.
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Greste’s release ends a relentless diplomatic effort by Canberra to secure freedom for the journalist, who was jailed for seven years for spreading false news and aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
Ms Bishop said Australia rushed to get Greste out of Egypt as soon as he was freed from his prison cell.
“He will make his way home in his own time. He wants a bit of rest and recreation and to be reunited with friends and family as soon as possible,” she said.
Greste’s other brother Andrew expressed his relief on Twitter, saying it was “hard to believe” Peter was finally free. He also thanked journalists and others worldwide who kept pressure on Egypt.
“Without the worldwide support we could not have got through it. @PeterGreste on his way home.”
The fate of Greste’s two Al Jazeera colleagues, Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy and producer Baher Mohamed, who is Egyptian, remains unclear.
There’s speculation Fahmy could soon be released and deported to Canada, but Mohamed does not hold a foreign passport so his prospects for freedom appear less promising.
Al Jazeera says it’s thrilled Greste is free and is demanding the same result for his two colleagues.
“Peter’s integrity is not just intact, but has been further enhanced by the fortitude and sacrifice he has shown for his profession of informing the public,” acting director of the Doha-based network, Mostefa Souag, said.
“We will not rest until Baher and Mohamed also regain their freedom.”
Greste was arrested in December 2013 and imprisoned last June. He and his colleagues have always denied what they said were politically motivated charges.
Federal minister Malcolm Turnbull said Greste was jailed for political reasons and Egypt faced enormous pressure from Australia and other nations.
“As far as I’m aware it was a political decision to imprison him in the first place and a political decision to release him,” he said.
Mr Turnbull paid tribute to Greste’s close family, including parents Lois and Juris.
“(They) have been just such stalwart advocates for their son and really when hope seemed to be completely lost, (they) kept on fighting and advocating and making the case for his release,” Mr Turnbull told reporters on Monday.
He said Prime Minister Tony Abbott had made direct representations to the Egyptian government and it was a great day for everyone involved in the campaign for freedom.
The federal Opposition said Australians shared the relief of the Greste family and praised diplomats who worked on the case.
“Journalists shouldn’t be put on trial or locked up for doing their job,” Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said in a joint statement.
“We continue to urge for the release of Peter’s two colleagues, Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy.”
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