Ex-hostages in call for Greste and colleagues

Two internationally renowned former hostages have called upon the Egyptian government to free Australian journalist Peter Greste and his Al Jazeera colleagues.

Peter Greste at a courtroom in Cairo

Australian journalist Peter Greste (AAP)

An Egyptian court is expected on Monday to hand down its verdict on the group accused of aiding and abetting terrorism.
 
Their court appearance will mark 177 days that the Al Jazeera colleagues have been in prison.
 
In a London media club, a world away from the Cairo jail in which the men find themselves, former hostage Terry Waite has called on the Egyptian government to release the Al Jazeera staff accused of terrorism.

"In bringing it about and releasing these men, you'll do yourself great credit on the international stage", Waite told the audience.
 
Mr Waite was held for more than 1,700 days in Lebanon in the late 1980s by the Islamic Jihad Organisation.
 
He had advice for the Al Jezeera's Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.
 
"Learn to live for the day. Not to try to anticipate too much. You hope, of course, that you will be released. And eventually it happened in my case, but that's the way to approach that kind of situation."
 
BBC journalist Alan Johnston, speaking from Rome, was held for 114 days in Gaza City in 2007.
 
"Dealing with that hope is difficult in some way. It can just fill your mind and you know that if it doesn't work out the way you want, it can be the most crushing kind of disappointment."
 
Greste and his colleagues have been accused of aiding and abetting the Muslim Brotherhood,  now considered a terrorist organization by the Egyptian government.
 
According to Terry Waite, the Egyptian government could release the Al Jazeera staff without losing face.
 
"If the Egyptian government can do that, it's a sign of great strength. It's a sign that they have confidence and they can make a decision, which perhaps may be unpopular with some, but will in fact be the right decision."
 
Amnesty International says it will continue to fight for other journalists imprisoned in Egypt.
 
"We make sure that we present a fair and balanced view of what's happening in Egypt and we present our findings to the Egyptian authorities", Amnesty's Nicholas Piachaud says.

"What matters now is whether they're willing to take the steps needed to address these gross human rights violations."
 
On Monday Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed will learn exactly what the Egyptian government is willing to do.
 




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3 min read

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By Ryan Emery

Source: SBS


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