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CAIRO: Canadian Al-Jazeera English journalist Mohamed Fahmy holds up an Egyptian flag after a retrial a courthouse near Tora prison yesterday. — AP Egypt court frees two Jazeera journalists Fahmy renounces his Egyptian citizenship CAIRO: An Egyptian court ordered the sition. Fahmy had renounced his Egyptian cit- year allowing foreigners to be deported to Nations. The retrial was ordered after Egypt’s release of two jailed Al-Jazeera journalists izenship to benefit from a law that allows the their home countries to stand trial or serve Court of Cassation ruled in January that the yesterday pending retrial, after they spent deportation of foreign defendants and which out their sentences. Canada last week said lower court “lacked evidence to support its more than 400 days in prison in a case that led to Greste’s release. Fahmy’s release was “imminent”, but voiced ruling” in the original verdict. The journalists sparked worldwide outrage. Yesterday’s first session of their retrial, concern that he had not been freed upon were among 20 defendants initially tried by Mohamed Fahmy, who is Canadian and Fahmy’s defense asked the court to free him. renouncing his nationality. “We are in shock the lower court. Of the rest, 12 were whose family hoped he would be deported, Fahmy himself was then allowed out of the and we feel that the Canadian government Egyptians found guilty of belonging to a “ter- must pay 250,000 Egyptian pounds ($33,000) caged dock to address the judge. “I didn’t ask has failed in getting Mohamed out,” Omara rorist organization”. bail while his colleague, Egyptian Baher to drop my (Egyptian) nationality,” he said, said. The Canadian ambassador was inside Two defendants were acquitted, while the Mohamed, was freed on his own recogni- his arm in a blue sling from an accident he the courtroom before the start of the trial. other three-also foreigners-were convicted in zance along with other defendants. The case had suffered before his arrest in December absentia. The journalists’ initial trial came was adjourned until February 23, the court 2013. “A security official visited me and asked ‘Huge step forward’ against the backdrop of strained ties said. I drop my citizenship because the state want- Greste congratulated his two colleagues between Egypt and Qatar, which supported Fahmy and Mohamed appeared in white ed to get this case done with, it had become after their release was announced. “This is a ousted president Mohamed Morsi. The prison uniforms before the Cairo court, after a nightmare,” Fahmy said before pulling out huge step forward. Not time to declare it Islamist leader was toppled by then army Australian colleague Peter Greste was a large Egyptian flag. Greste was on the over, but at least you get to go home!” the chief Sisi in July 2013, before Sisi was himself deported home earlier this month. The three judge’s roll call of defendants at the start of Australian wrote on Twitter. The three jour- elected president. While Fahmy may still be were accused of supporting the blacklisted the trial. “He’s not here sir,” responded a nalists of Qatar-based Al-Jazeera English deported-although that appears less likely Muslim Brotherhood and originally jailed for police officer when the judge called out his were arrested in December 2013 and charged once the trial starts-Mohamed’s only hope is between seven and 10 years each. The case name. with spreading false news about Egypt and for an acquittal. Sisi’s office has said the presi- has been a major source of embarrassment The three journalists had spend more than supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. Their dent will not consider a pardon before the for President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as he seeks a year in jail before an appeals court ordered arrests and continued detentions sparked courts have finished their work. Mohamed’s to shore up international support following a a retrial saying the prosecution had failed to widespread condemnation and calls for their wife Jihan Rashid said the family is “paying widely condemned crackdown on the oppo- prove its case. Sisi passed a law by decree last release led by Washington and the United the price for being Egyptian”. — AFP