Australian government on Tuesday vowed to continue efforts to free journalist Peter Greste after an Egyptian court's decision to jail him for seven years drew international concerns and left his family considering their next moves.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he was bewildered by the court's decision but that"megaphone diplomacy"would not help Greste's case. The government would instead talk"calmly, patiently and reasonably"with the new Egyptian government.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop declared she would seek the direct intervention of the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to"prove Egypt is on the path to democracy" in the wake of the 2013 coup that ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
Greste and his two Al Jazeera colleagues on Monday were found guilty of supporting Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist organisation, and of reporting false news in the wake of the coup.
The verdict and jail terms have sparked outrage around the world and pressure on the new Egyptian government for the men to be released.
The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called the case"chilling and draconian", while United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay said the real target in Egypt was freedom of expression. "We will be appealing to the new government to call this verdict for what it is and intervene,"Bishop said, adding she was appalled by the severity of the sentence and that there was no doubt the case against the journalists was politically motivated from the outset.
But Bishop said she had been advised no appeal for clemency or presidential pardon until all legal proceedings had been exhausted, including any appeal the family might lodge.
Greste's elderly parents Lois and Juris were left stunned by the court's decision after waging a public campaign for his freedom since his arrest in December and receiving encouraging signals from the Egyptian government. "The message we got from Egyptian authorities did give us great confidence for everything other than this outcome,"Greste senior said.
He and his wife and their other two sons have vowed they would never stop fighting to free their son and brother. Seeking a pardon from the new president was"probably the very first thing" the family would consider.
A legal appeal is also an option, but there are fears that process could be lengthy, possibly taking up to two years.
Greste said the conditions his son was enduring in jail weighed heavily on him. "Where he is being held, certainly by Australian standards, would be considered conditions of severe punishment. "I'm depressed at that, the thought that he might have to stay in a place like that for the duration of the appeals processes, which can last sometimes months, many months."
Greste's brother Mike, who was in the Cairo court for Monday's verdict but has been unable to see him, said the family was taking diplomatic and legal advice about what to do next.
He said an appeal was among the primary considerations, but knowing how to navigate legal channels felt impossible given the evidence against his brother was non-existent and the trial farcical. "We're just so confused about the decision. It's like boxing at shadows,"he told the BBC. "Obviously, it's turned into a political case. It's very difficult to target the motivation or the reasons behind the arrest and the whole trial process."
