Australian Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste formally asks Egypt’s president for pardon

Australian journalist Peter Greste formally asks Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for a pardon while world leaders meet in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

Australian journalist Peter Greste has formally asked Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for a pardon while world leaders meet in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

Greste has been out of prison for eight months, but it still a convicted criminal.

Mr Sisi pardoned Greste’s jailed Al Jazeera colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed last week, however, Greste’s name was not included on the list.

Fahmy and Mohamed were released from prison within hours of their presidential pardon being announced.

Greste — who was deported from Egypt in February — said after talks between Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Egyptian representatives last week, his fate was now in Mr Sisi’s hands.

“He needs to finish this off and pardon the rest of us who were convicted in absentia,” Greste said.

Greste said it had been almost two years since his arrest and he would like to get back to normal life.

Fahmy, Mohamed and Greste were sentenced in a retrial last month for broadcasting “false” news that harmed Egypt and aiding the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

Their detention and trial sparked global criticism towards Mr Sisi, who has said he wished the journalists had been deported from the outset rather than put on trial.

Greste said it was not clear how long the process would take.

Source: ABC News