Australian journalist Peter Greste arrives home

Image
IANS Sydney
Last Updated : Feb 05 2015 | 9:55 AM IST

Australian journalist Peter Greste arrived home in Brisbane Thursday after spending 400 days in an Egyptian jail. He vowed to fight for the freedom of his colleagues who were jailed with him.

On Thursday, he met his cheering family and friends and a large media contingent, many of them who had worked with him in the past, Xinhua reported.

"It's awesome to be home, back on Australian soil and I'm a very, very happy man," Greste said.

"I didn't think I'd see this day. I imagined it many, many times - about 400 times in fact. This is a moment that I've rehearsed in my mind over the last 400 days and it feels absolutely awesome to be here," he said.

Greste, 49, was freed from a Cairo jail Sunday and was swiftly deported, first landing in Cyprus with his brother Mike, before preparing to return to his hometown.

He was working for the Al Jazeera news network covering unrest in Egypt caused by the anti-government Muslim Brotherhood.

Police arrested him and two colleagues Dec 29, 2013, just a week after they arrived in the country.

They were accused of being Muslim Brotherhood sympathisers, and charged with false reporting.

In June last year, Greste received a seven-year jail term amidst international outcry by governments, media organizations and accusations of a miscarriage of justice at their trial.

upon arrival in Brisbane, Greste did not forget to mention his colleagues, who remain in jail in Egypt.

"But this is all tempered... by real worries for my colleagues, for Mohamed Fahmy, for Baher Mohammed, for all of the other guys that were imprisoned alongside us," he said.

Greste has vowed to continue fighting for their freedom.

His family campaigned tirelessly for his release, as did the Australian government, his employer and thousands of supporters around the world.

"My family have been the rock, the bedrock throughout all of this," Greste said.

He was freed after intervention by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi under newly decreed laws allowing the deportation of international prisoners.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 05 2015 | 9:50 AM IST

Next Story