Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy gives up Egypt citizenship

Mr Fahmy's brother said the journalist, who is also Canadian, was told to give up his nationality or his freedom.

Canada says his release is imminent. The status of his Egyptian colleague Baher Mohamed remains unclear.

Peter Greste, who was freed on Sunday, said he felt "incredible angst" at leaving his colleagues in a Cairo jail.

The Australian journalist was freed from prison and deported after 400 days behind bars.

The three al-Jazeera English journalists were arrested in 2013 after being accused of collaborating with the banned Muslim Brotherhood after former President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by the military.

All three denied the charges against them and said their trial was a sham.

A decree issued by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi last November allows the deportation of foreign prisoners.

Mr Fahmy's brother, Adel, told reporters that the Egyptian authorities gave the journalist the choice between "dropping the nationality or his freedom".

"It was a very difficult decision. Mohamed is very proud and comes from a patriotic family of high-ranking military and policemen that have defended this country and fought its wars," Adel Fahmy said.

Many of his family members were offended by Mr Fahmy's decision to relinquish his citizenship, he added, but said his fiance and his mother had pushed him to do so.

Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said on Monday that Mr Fahmy's release was "imminent" but gave no details of a resolution.

 

(BBC)