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Al Jazeera reporter renounces Egypt citizenship in attempt to win freedom
(MENAFN- Arab News) CAIRO: Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy has renounced his Egyptian citizenship his family said Tuesday in a bid to follow his Australian colleague Peter Greste in being released from a Cairo jail.
Fahmy's surrender of his Egyptian passport is a necessary step for him to be freed and deported as a foreign national under a decree issued by President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi in November. He also has Canadian citizenship.
The news came after Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said that Fahmy's release was 'imminent' following the freeing of Greste on Sunday.
An Egyptian official following the case told AFP: 'The final legal procedures for his (Fahmy's) deportation are being completed.'
He said the renunciation of citizenship had already been finalized.
Fahmy and Greste were arrested in December 2013 along with Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed and later sentenced to up to 10 years in prison on charges of aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood.
'He signed the papers more than a week ago' giving up his Egyptian citizenship a relative of Fahmy told AFP on condition of anonymity.
'It was very hard for him because he is a proud Egyptian who comes from a family of military servicemen.'
Soon after Greste's release Fahmy's fiancee Marwa Omara told AFP: 'We are expecting Mohamed to be released in the coming days.'
On Tuesday in his first posts on his official Twitter account after more than 400 days in jail Greste resting in Cyprus said he would soon be heading home.
'Brother Mike and I due to head home to Australia shortly. Can't wait for the family reunion' he wrote.
'Special thanks to all who've supported us over the past year. MUST NOT FORGET THOSE STILL IN PRISON' he wrote in another tweet.
On Monday Greste expressed hope that his two colleagues would be released soon.
'This is a massive step forward... I just hope that Egypt keeps going down this path with the others' he said in an Al-Jazeera interview referring to his release.
Greste said he felt a 'real mix of emotions boiling inside' upon hearing the unexpected news that he was to be released because it meant leaving behind 'my brothers' Fahmy and Mohamed.
'I feel incredible angst about my colleagues leaving them behind' he said.
'Amidst all this relief I still feel a sense of concern. If it's appropriate for me to be free it's right for all of them to be freed.'
Fahmy's surrender of his Egyptian passport is a necessary step for him to be freed and deported as a foreign national under a decree issued by President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi in November. He also has Canadian citizenship.
The news came after Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said that Fahmy's release was 'imminent' following the freeing of Greste on Sunday.
An Egyptian official following the case told AFP: 'The final legal procedures for his (Fahmy's) deportation are being completed.'
He said the renunciation of citizenship had already been finalized.
Fahmy and Greste were arrested in December 2013 along with Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed and later sentenced to up to 10 years in prison on charges of aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood.
'He signed the papers more than a week ago' giving up his Egyptian citizenship a relative of Fahmy told AFP on condition of anonymity.
'It was very hard for him because he is a proud Egyptian who comes from a family of military servicemen.'
Soon after Greste's release Fahmy's fiancee Marwa Omara told AFP: 'We are expecting Mohamed to be released in the coming days.'
On Tuesday in his first posts on his official Twitter account after more than 400 days in jail Greste resting in Cyprus said he would soon be heading home.
'Brother Mike and I due to head home to Australia shortly. Can't wait for the family reunion' he wrote.
'Special thanks to all who've supported us over the past year. MUST NOT FORGET THOSE STILL IN PRISON' he wrote in another tweet.
On Monday Greste expressed hope that his two colleagues would be released soon.
'This is a massive step forward... I just hope that Egypt keeps going down this path with the others' he said in an Al-Jazeera interview referring to his release.
Greste said he felt a 'real mix of emotions boiling inside' upon hearing the unexpected news that he was to be released because it meant leaving behind 'my brothers' Fahmy and Mohamed.
'I feel incredible angst about my colleagues leaving them behind' he said.
'Amidst all this relief I still feel a sense of concern. If it's appropriate for me to be free it's right for all of them to be freed.'
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