(AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI)
Al Jazeera English journalist Peter Greste was released Sunday morning upon a presidential decree, MENA state news agency confirmed.
Families of journalists involved in the Al Jazeera trial, had said earlier that Australian journalist Peter Greste left prison early Sunday morning.
MENA announced Egyptian authorities deported Greste following president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s agreement.
The Australian Embassy has not confirmed the news, saying it would answer questions from the media on Monday.
MENA said that the Egyptian foreign ministry coordinated with Australian Embassy to book a flying ticket to deport Greste on Sunday afternoon.
Al Jazeera confirmed that Greste boarded an Egypt Air flight on Sunday.
Greste was initially handed seven years in a maximum security prison over charges of aiding a terrorist group, tarnishing Egypt’s image abroad, and threatening Egypt’s national security.
He was arrested on 29 December 2013 together with two other Al Jazeera English journalists; Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy, and Egyptian Baher Mohamed.
On 1 January, Egypt’s Court of Cassation accepted an appeal filed in the case of Greste, Fahmy and Mohamed.
Fahmy was handed the same sentence as Greste, while Mohamed was given seven years plus an extra three years for being in possession of a fired bullet casing.
Al-Sisi issued a decree in November that allows him to deport convicted foreigners to their home countries.
