News & Media

Richardson Center Lauds the Pardon of Al Jazeera Journalists

Former Governor and UN Ambassador, Bill Richardson, today lauded the pardon of Al Jazeera journalists, Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed by Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.  Fahmy and Mohammed, were arrested in December 2013 along with their colleague, Australian Peter Greste and sentenced to several years in prison each.

The Richardson Center assisted in the temporary release of the three last February, which allowed Greste to return to his parents Lois and Juris and the rest of his family in Australia. The three journalists have been retried (despite Greste absence) and sentenced to 3 years in jail each.  Earlier this week, President el-Sisi pardoned all three.

Fahmy and Mohammed were among 100 people ordered released yesterday by el-Sisi on the occasion of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha.  El-Sisi now heads to New York to address the United Nations on issues of international policy.

The Richardson Center pursues the safe and humanitarian release of journalists, political prisoners, international hostages, American serviceman, and others who have been detained around the world.

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