Time to celebrate: Family overjoyed at journalist's release

The family of Australian journalist Peter Greste expressed their joy on Monday after his release from an Egyptian jail.

Greste, an award-winning Al Jazeera journalist, had been held in an Egyptian jail for more than 400 days on charges of backing the Muslim Brotherhood.

Following the news of his release, his mother, Lois, said that she was ecstatic about his return. “I just can’t say how happy I am about it.”

The reporter was detained along with two colleagues, Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy and an Egyptian producer, Baher Mohamed, in December 2013 and charged with aiding the blacklisted Brotherhood.

Greste is in Cyprus and will be returning home to Australia shortly. Andrew, his brother, said, “He is safe, very, very happy to be on his way home.”

Andrew added that even though it was a joyous moment, his brother would not forget his friends who were imprisoned along with him and continue fighting for their freedom. “

“He’s not going to forget his two other colleagues. There’s no doubt that his excitement is tempered and restrained and will be until those guys are free, he won’t give up until Baher and Mohamed Fahmy are out of there.”

The Greste family said Peter had yet to come to terms with his sudden release. “He was in a state of being -- finding it difficult to believe,” his mother said.

The arrest of the three journalists sparked worldwide condemnation with Washington and the United Nations leading calls for their release.

The Greste family paid tribute to “all the people who have supported him who have given time, money, and energy in seeking his freedom.”

Image: (Left to right) Peter Greste's mother Lois, brother Andrew Greste, and father Juris celebrate after hearing of Peter's release. Photograph: Getty Images