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Al Jazeera journalists released from prison

By GNA
International Al Jazeera journalists released from prison
FEB 13, 2015 LISTEN

Cairo, Feb. 13, (dpa/GNA) - Two Al Jazeera journalists were released Friday from prison in Egypt, a family member and local media said, as they await a retrial this month on terrorism-related charges that have triggered worldwide condemnation.

Canadian journalist Mohammed Fahmy left a local police station after spending 14 months in jail, his brother Adel said on Twitter.

His release came a day after an Egyptian court ordered it on bail of 250,000 Egyptian pounds (32,890 dollars).

His co-defendant Egyptian journalist Baher Mohammed was released without bail, the online edition of the state-run newspaper al-Ahram reported, citing a security source.

Their walk to freedom occurred 12 days after the release and deportation of their Australian colleague Peter Greste, who was charged with Fahmy and Mohammed with aiding the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood Islamist movement and spreading false news about Egypt.

Greste was allowed to return to Australia under a decision by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi.

Greste, Fahmy and Mohammed were sentenced to seven years in prison in June. The verdict was overturned last month.

Fahmy has renounced his Egyptian citizenship to qualify for deportation under a decree signed by al-Sissi in November, which was widely seen as aimed at resolving the case.

The court Thursday ordered the two journalists released this week to be barred from leaving Egypt until their retrial resumes February 23.

Human rights advocates and media groups have said the case lacked concrete evidence to support charges against the three journalists.

GNA

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