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Finally, Peter Greste has returned to Australia. And the photos are beautiful.

Jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste is finally on Australian soil and reunited with those he loves.

“This is a moment I’ve rehearsed in my mind four hundred times over the last four hundred days” he said.

The joy on his face will lift your heart. This is a photo that spells out “good news.”

He is home. It’s the moment Australians have been anxiously awaiting.

After being held in an Egyptian jail for 400 days, Peter Greste flew into Brisbane airport and into the arms of his mother and father, Lois and Juris Greste.

At Brisbane airport in the early hours of the morning his relief and joy was electric.

He gave a short statement on his arrival to a packed arrivals hall filled with family, friends and of course many, many journalists.

The man who has spent 400 days fighting for his freedom told the crowd he was delighted to be free.

Peter greets a friend.

He thanked his family for supporting him.”I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am to be here,” he said.

Yet his thoughts were overwhelmingly with his colleagues as he again called for the Egyptian authorities to release his colleagues, and others convicted with them.

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“Egypt has an opportunity to show that justice does not depend on your nationality,” he said. “If it’s right for me to be free, it’s right for them to be free.”

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Peter was released from jail on Sunday night and was recovering in Cyprus with his brother, Mike, before he made the emotional journey home to be reunited with his family.

Peter Greste’s

The plight for Peter Greste’s freedom – along with the freedom of his two Al Jazeera colleagues, Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed – started in December 2013 when the three Al Jazeera staff were arrested for news reporting that was “damaging to national security”, along with 17 other Al Jazeera colleagues.

His family have campaigned tirelessly for his release.

Peter and Mohammed were both sentenced to seven years jail while Baher was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

But in a new law that states foreign prisoners can be deported, Peter was released and left Egypt on Sunday night. His two colleagues remain in jail.

On Tuesday Mohammed Fahmy who holds dual Egyptian-Canadian citizenship surrendered his Egyptian citizenship in order to facilitate his release.

Canada now says his release is imminent.

Baher Mohammed is an Egyptian national. His future remains unclear.

A beautiful moment: Peter Greste’s first taste of freedom after 400 days imprisonment.

When news spread of Peter’s return, Peter’s brother, Andrew Greste, confirmed the news on Twitter. He and his parents, Lois and Juris Greste, held a press conference in Brisbane on Monday and thanked everyone who contributed to Peter’s freedom.

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Andrew, Lois and Juris Greste held a press conference in Brisbane on Monday and thanked everyone who contributed to Peter’s freedom. (Photo: ABC News)
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“This couldn’t have happened without the support from you. Mum, dad, Mike and I are just small cogs in this massive campaign and we are continually humbled by people’s generosity and outpouring of support,” Andrew Greste said.

Read more: The picture one Australian family has waited 400 days to see.

peter greste returns to australia
Lois, Andrew and Juris Greste, after Peter’s release was confirmed. Image via Getty.
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“Peter was arrested with Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy and they also deserve to be free,” he added.

“Peter won’t rest until they’re released from prison and we hope that will follow in the very near future.”

Widespread campaigns to #FreeAJStaff are continuing, as Peter’s two colleagues, Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed, are still imprisoned in Egypt.

You can read more about the campaign to Free Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed here. 

While our thoughts remain with them, our hearts soak up the joy of Peter Greste’s return.

 

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