TORONTO – Mohamed Fahmy, the Canadian journalist on trial in Egypt on widely denounced terror charges, received a new temporary Canadian passport Wednesday.
Fahmy is out on bail while awaiting trial on terror charges after spending more than a year in a Cairo prison.
The Al-Jazeera journalist had his original passport seized upon his arrest in December 2013.
Despite filling out the necessary forms, the Canadian government refused to give him a new one, citing his bail conditions.
READ MORE: Fahmy shocked at Ottawa’s refusal to issue passport due to travel ban
However, on Monday the federal government announced it would issue Fahmy a passport — reversing an earlier decision.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander revealed that the situation had changed.
“After several weeks of intervention by government officials on Mr. Fahmy’s behalf, we are now in a position to issue Mr. Fahmy’s a passport despite ongoing legal issues and travel restrictions,” he said in a statement.
READ MORE: Fahmy’s message to Harper: ‘I would not run away from Egypt’
Fahmy gave up his Egyptian citizenship for what he thought was a requirement to be deported under the same law but he remained in prison.
–with files from The Canadian Press
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