Reactions to Al Jazeera retrial
A retrial has been ordered for Al Jazeera’s journalists, but the three men were not released on bail by the Egypt court.
Published On 1 Jan 2015
Egypt’s Court of Cassation has accepted the appeal of three Al Jazeera journalists who have been in prison for more than a year, and ordered a retrial.
Here are some reactions to Thursday’s court ruling.
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| Dr Mostefa Souag – Al Jazeera’s acting Director-General |
“We welcome the court’s decision to accept the appeal of our journalists. But at the same time we demand that they are immediately released. They are unjustly imprisoned. Everything is politicised; their arrest and the verdict against them were also politicised.”
| Mohamed Fahmy – imprisoned Al Jazeera journalist |
“A retrial is a milestone towards victory in our free press battle. Our spirits are bullet-proof.”
A retrial is a milestone toward victory in our free press battle!Our spirits are bullet-proof! Back to white garb! pic.twitter.com/9SOCxFT13E
— Mohamed Fahmy (@MFFahmy11) January 1, 2015
| Jehan Rashed – wife of jailed journalist Baher Mohammed |
“I really wished that today I can bring happiness and a smile to my children’s faces, and that they will be able to see their father at home, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. God willing, though, I pray that the day will come when my children will rejoice with the freedom of their father.”
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| Baher Mohamed was sentenced to an additional three years because he was carrying a spent bullet casing. |
| Hassiba Hadjsahraoui – Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director |
“These men should never have been jailed in the first place and should not have to spend one more day in prison. Instead of prolonging their unjust detention pending a retrial, they must be freed immediately.”
| Mike and Andrew Greste – brothers of jailed journalist Peter Greste |
“We have learned in the past that this is not over until he is out and it looks like we have a long road ahead of us.”
| Marwa Omara – fiancee of jailed journalist Mohammed Fahmy |
“I can’t even imagine that he will stay here a year in prison. His lawyer, Amal Clooney just applied to the Egyptian presidency and the Egyptian prosecutor for Mohamed to be deported to Canada as a Canadian citizen and to continue the trial there. I’m still waiting for a miracle to happen.”
| UK’s Foreign Office |
“The UK has had serious concerns about these arrests from the outset, and the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have raised them with the Egyptian government. Protecting and upholding the fundamental human rights contained within the Egyptian constitution is essential to building a stable, prosperous, and democratic Egypt.”
Source: Al Jazeera