Peter Greste

Peter Greste (Pēteris Greste; born 1 December 1965) is a dual citizen Latvian Australian academic, memoirist and writer.

Formerly a journalist and foreign correspondent, he worked for Reuters, CNN, the BBC and Al Jazeera English; predominantly in the Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

From 1991 to 1995, Greste was based in London, Bosnia and South Africa, working for Reuters, CNN, WTN and the BBC.

In 1995, he was based in Kabul, Afghanistan as a correspondent for the BBC and Reuters.

Then, in Belgrade for a year as a correspondent for Reuters.

Greste returned to London and worked for BBC News 24.

He was next based in Mexico, then Santiago as a correspondent for the BBC.

Greste returned to Afghanistan in 2001 to cover the start of the War in Afghanistan.

Afterwards, he worked across the Middle East and Latin America.

From 2004, Greste was based in Mombasa, Kenya, then Johannesburg, South Africa, followed by six years in Nairobi, Kenya.

In 2011, Greste won a Peabody Award for a BBC documentary on Somalia.

That year, he left the BBC and became a correspondent for Al Jazeera English in Africa.

On 29 December 2013, Greste and two other Al Jazeera journalists were arrested by Egyptian authorities in Cairo.

In late December 2013, Greste was arrested in Cairo with Al Jazeera colleagues Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.

"The interior ministry said the journalists had held illegal meetings with the Muslim Brotherhood", which was recently declared a terrorist group; furthermore, the journalists were accused of news reporting which was "damaging to national security".

On 23 June 2014, Greste was found guilty of falsifying news and having a negative impact on overseas perceptions of the country, and sentenced to seven years prison.

The Australian government intervened and negotiated on his behalf with a new Egyptian government.

In January 2014, Egyptian authorities were reportedly going to charge twenty Al Jazeera journalists, including Greste, of falsifying news and having a negative impact on overseas perceptions of the country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Egypt to "promptly release" the Al Jazeera personnel in custody.

On 21 February 2014, Greste was refused bail and his case was adjourned until 5 March.

During a 31 March hearing, Greste asked to be released and told the judge that "The idea that I could have an association with the Muslim Brotherhood is frankly preposterous."

On 23 June, Greste was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Mohammed Fahmy also received seven years while Baher Mohamed received ten years.

International media reaction was swift and negative.

US Secretary of State John Kerry described the prison sentences as "chilling and draconian" and noted that he had spoken to Egyptian governmental officials including President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

Despite widespread international media condemnation, al-Sisi declared that he would not interfere with judicial rulings.

Internationally, Greste and his colleagues were portrayed as political prisoners due to the nature of the trial, the evidence presented and the sentences imposed.

On the other hand, "Cairo felt that the Qatari media outlet (Al Jazeera) had become a mouthpiece for the ousted and banned Muslim Brotherhood. The harsh sentences were handed down as a warning to the Gulf state to not get involved in Egyptian domestic politics."

On 1 February 2015, Greste was officially deported to Australia (via Cyprus) on the condition that he face prison or trial in his home country; something Australia did not uphold.

At a retrial on 29 August 2015, an Egyptian court sentenced Greste in absentia to another three years in prison.

However, he avoided serving that sentence because he was already out of Egypt and did not return.

If the full sentences were served, Greste would have been incarcerated until December 2023.

Greste has Latvian ancestry and two younger brothers.

Born in Sydney, he is a dual citizen of Australia and Latvia.

Greste was school captain of Indooroopilly State High School, and holds a Bachelor of Business degree from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.

On 1 January 2015, the Court of Cassation announced a retrial for Greste and his colleagues.

Release on bail was not permitted.

The Australian government intervened, and Greste was officially deported to Australia (via Cyprus) on 1 February.

The Egyptian law allowing the deportation of foreigners stipulated that they face prison or trial in their home country, but Australia did not uphold either.

Otherwise, no explanation was given for his release.