Two Al Jazeera journalists have been released on bail in Egypt after spending more than a year in prison on "absurd" terror-related charges.
The broadcaster's Canadian-Egyptian bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed were arrested following the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. They will now face a retrial after an appeals court ruling in January.
The men were initially charged with supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood and spreading false news, claims Al Jazeera continues to dismiss as politically motivated. They were sentenced to between seven and ten years in prison.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The decision comes just over a week after their Australian colleague Peter Greste was freed and deported to Australia where he has been championing their release.
The move was welcomed by Al Jazeera, but it warned that there was still a long way to go in securing their freedom. "Bail is a small step in the right direction, and allows Baher and Mohamed to spend time with their families after 411 days apart," said a spokesperson.
"The focus though is still on the court reaching the correct verdict at the next hearing by dismissing this absurd case and releasing both these fine journalists unconditionally," he said.
Fahmy has been ordered to pay a £21,000 bail bond, as he is considered a flight risk, while Mohamed was not required to hand over a fee.
Marwa Omara, Fahmy's fiancée said: "We’re willing to pay whatever it takes to see Mohamed … I want to see him with me. I want to have a romantic dinner with him. Go to the beach. Dance, enjoy life."
Fahmy relinquished his Egyptian citizenship in an attempt to qualify for deportation to Canada, but Mohamed does not have a foreign passport. The decision was delayed, but "now appears to have been ruled out completely," according to The Guardian.
The case has drawn worldwide condemnation, with the Doha- based broadcaster fighting alongside international government to secure their release. There are at least 10 other journalists still imprisoned in Egypt, including the photographer Mahmoud Abouzeid, who is one of 16,000 political prisoners.
Their retrial will begin on February 23 in Cairo.
-
Political cartoons for January 25Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a hot economy, A.I. wisdom, and more
-
Le Pen back in the dock: the trial that’s shaking FranceIn the Spotlight Appealing her four-year conviction for embezzlement, the Rassemblement National leader faces an uncertain political future, whatever the result
-
The doctors’ strikesThe Explainer Resident doctors working for NHS England are currently voting on whether to go out on strike again this year
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
