Mohamed Fahmy’s family ‘cautious and optimistic’ about talk of pardon

WATCH: Egypt’s president says he is considering releasing three imprisoned Al Jazeera journalists, including one Canadian.

Three Al Jazeera journalists who have been imprisoned in Egypt for nearly a year have been given some new hope they could soon be freed. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told France 24 on Thursday a possible pardon is “under discussion” for Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, Australian Peter Greste and Egyptian Baher Mohmed.

Al-Sisi made the comments in his first sit-down interview with a European news agency.

Sisi previously said he would not interfere with the case.

READ MORE: Egypt sets appeal date for Canadian in Cairo

Fahmy’s brother, Adel Fahmy, said the family believe there is a good chance Sisi could make good on his word.

“He would have not have said this on TV unless he is really considering it,” Adel said in a phone interview from Egypt.

“We’ve been hearing this rhetoric for several months now, where the president has been talking openly about… the possibility of a pardon.”

But, he said the family is being “cautious and optimistic.”

He told Global News his family is not just relying on Sisi’s words. They have gone through their own channels, speaking to local Egyptian journalists, to get an idea of what is going on behind closed doors.

“They confirm to us that the president is considering, more than ever the possibility of a pardon or the execution of his decree.”

Al-Sisi issued a decree on Nov. 12 that would clear the way for foreign prisoners to be repatriated to be tried or serve their sentences in their home countries.

While it appeared that could clear the way for Greste to be returned to Australia, Fahmy is a dual Egyptian-Canadian citizen.

Adel said his brother would not consider renouncing his citizenship to take advantage of that decree.

READ MORE: Is dual citizenship keeping Canadian journalist in Egyptian jail?

Fahmy moved to Canada with his family in 1991, living in Montreal and Vancouver for years before eventually moving abroad for work, which included covering stories for the New York Times and CNN.

Fahmy and the two other journalists were arrested in Cairo on Dec. 29, 2013. They have been held in prison ever since. The trio was later charged and convicted in June of spreading information to support the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and ousted former President Mohamed Morsi, as well as fabricating footage to undermine Egypt’s national security.

Al Jazeera is controlled by the government of Qatar, which was a supporter of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi and the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

Fahmy and Greste were sentenced to seven years in prison, while Mohamed received a 10-year sentence.

But if Sisi makes good on his word, Fahmy would happily leave Egypt — without even a suitcase in hand — and return to Canada with his fiancée of more than two years, Marwa Omara.

Fahmy now has a metal rod in his shoulder and arm, stemming from a minor injury that was “exacerbated from spending a month in solitary confinement, without any medical treatment.”

His arm remains in a sling, he needs physiotherapy and further medical treatment, his brother said, adding the 40-year-old also now suffers from Hepatitis C.

The Canadian government has been called on repeatedly to urge al-Sisi and the Egyptian government to release Fahmy.

READ MORE: Fahmy’s family hopes PM will advocate for imprisoned journalist at UN (Sept. 22)

But, Adel admitted, international denunciations would do little to sway the Egyptian president.

“He doesn’t believe bullhorn diplomacy is going to work with President al-Sisi or the Egyptian government,” Adel said his brother told him during a visit on Wednesday.

What the Fahmy family would like, for now, is to have the Canadian government demand Fahmy be released on humanitarian grounds, “due to his deteriorating health condition.”

Fahmy’s lawyer, renowned human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, has asked for her client to be released temporarily until the appeal trial proceeds.

Clooney, in a statement written with co-counsel Mark Wassouf, released on Nov. 5, pointed out the “absurdity of the case has now been recognized both within and outside Egypt.”

“Mr. Fahmy’s trial was fundamentally unfair and his imprisonment a travesty of justice,” the statement read.

Adel explained Clooney, whom the family hired to represent Fahmy independently from Al Jazeera, has been in touch with the family “since day one.”

Although Clooney “waived almost all of the legal fees,” the Fahmy family has had to sell stocks and take out a loan to cover mounting costs, according to Adel. The family has taken to crowdfunding to pay bills.

READ MORE: Egyptian-Canadian journalist jailed in Cairo wins freedom award

Adel Fahmy added his brother “appreciates what Canada has done in terms of their support in the case. So far about $33,000 has been raised, but the goal is to collect $350,000 to cover “legal fees, administration fees, telecommunication, translations, photocopies, and travel expenses for lawyers.”

He said his brother hopes to settle in Vancouver, with his fiancée, and finish the book he’s writing about his arrest and detention.

Adel said the book is called The Marriott Cell, a nod to the Cairo Marriott Hotel where the three journalists were arrested and how Egyptian media dubbed them the “Marriott terror cell.”

With files from The Associated Press