Egyptian Judge Grants Bail To Al-Jazeera English Journalists

Two Al-Jazeera English journalists awaiting retrial in Egypt on charges they aided the banned Muslim Brotherhood, have been released on bail amid expectations that one of them, a Canadian, might soon be deported.

The Associated Press reports: "Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy, who recently renounced his Egyptian citizenship, is widely expected to be ... deported. Fahmy was ordered to pay LE 250,000 ($33,000) in bail, far more than any of the other defendants."

The move comes less than two weeks after Peter Greste, an Australian journalist working for the news outlet, was suddenly released and deported.

NPR's Leila Fadel, who attended the hearing in Cairo, tells our Newscast unit that the judge's decision has left the families of the accused "ecstatic, they burst into tears. They say this is a partial end to what has been a nightmare."

As we reported in June, Greste, Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were convicted of "spreading false news" and aiding and joining the Muslim Brotherhood. Mohamed is Egyptian.

Leila says the trial "has caused international outcry over issues of freedom of speech in Egypt."

She says the second trial for the two journalists will resume later this month on the charges that were overturned at an appeals court due to lack of evidence.