In a sudden about-face, the Canadian government announced it will issue a Canadian passport to Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy. An elated Fahmy says it is the “best news ever” and it will allow him to marry the fiancé who has stood by him throughout his trial in Egypt.
Tomorrow’s hearing pivotal
Fahmy is now free on bail, but spent more than a year in a Cairo jail on widely discredited terrorism charges connected with his team’s news coverage of protests. A hearing tomorrow will be “a milestone,” he says because a technical committee will present its findings on whether any of the coverage was fabricated or contained material slanted in favour of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Reason for reversal unclear
Fahmy’s passport was seized when he was first arrested and he had asked the Canadian government to issue a new one. The government refused citing his bail conditions. It is unclear why it has now reversed its position.
A passport is necessary in Egypt for such things as renting a flat, banking, going through checkpoints and getting married.
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