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With state television largely avoiding coverage of the 2011 uprisings, Al Jazeera, including its Arabic channel, was well-regarded for the fact that it covered the protests. Al Jazeera was founded and is funded by the royal family of Qatar, and has been criticized for being largely influenced by the Qatari emir and, in turn, his foreign policy.Last month, in a letter to the Canadian Journalists for Freedom of Expression, Fahmy wrote that he and his colleagues "are victims of a real ongoing war between Egypt and Qatar." Many support the view that the case had political undertones and was driven by a vendetta between the two governments.Qatar has a long history with the Brotherhood, and as the group gained prominence in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Syria in the wake of the Arab Spring, Qatar saw an opportunity to back Brotherhood-affiliated political parties. In 2012, Qatar pledged $9.3 billion CAD to Morsi's government. When the military ousted Morsi, and subsequently denounced the Muslim Brotherhood as "terrorists," members of the Islamist group fled Egypt. Some took refuge in Doha, where Al Jazeera footed their hotel bills. Qatar's continued support for the group obviously did not sit well with Egypt's incoming authorities, resulting in the freezing over of relations between the two countries.
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Al-Sisi has more than just foreign politics as an impetus to issue a pardon. Following widespread condemnation of the verdict for the three journalists, in June al-Sisi said he would not intervene in the court's decision. By autumn, he seems to have recognized the stain this verdict made on Egypt's international image. He announced a decree that would allow for the repatriation of foreign prisoners, and followed that up by saying he would consider a pardon for the three journalists.This pardon, however, can only come after the full legal process has been exhausted. This means that the court needs to issue another guilty verdict in order for the president to issue the potential pardon. According to Borai, it will take somewhere between six months to a year for the second trial. In the meantime, Fahmy's legal team are applying for temporary release on health grounds because of his broken shoulder and Hepatitis C, which he needs treated.Following Thursday's decision, Fahmy's family said that they will apply for deportation for Fahmy. However, because of Fahmy's dual citizenship, the legal process for repatriation remains muddled. Borai told VICE that, in order for the deportation decree to be applied, Fahmy would have to give up his Egyptian citizenship.Compared to other governments, Canada had one of the most subdued responses to June's verdict. Fahmy's family has said that the Canadian government has been helpful, but has also called on the prime minister to exercise more pressure on the Egyptian government to have Fahmy released from prison. Foreign Minister John Baird announced he would travel to Cairo in January to "push for Fahmy's release."