Prison post: Letters of support for Peter Greste

by Editia, Paige Garland (Contributor)

While foreign correspondent Peter Greste is free in Australia following his deportation from Egypt in February, he was convicted on terrorism charges in absentia on August 29, 2015. The campaign to clear his name and those of imprisoned Al Jazeera colleagues Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy continues.
After the three were found guilty of reporting false news and endangering Egypt’s national security at the end of the first trial in June 2014, the Greste family set up an email account for messages of support they could print out to take to Peter in prison. The trickle of emails that had begun with his arrest the previous December increased exponentially. Peter was staggered by the range and spirit of the notes.
“Whenever I find my resolve wavering; whenever I feel weak or angry or frustrated; whenever I lose sight of the ‘why’, I only need to dip into the huge pile of letters for the answer," he said. "You’ve all given us and our families enormous strength; and for that I am hugely grateful."
Now, readers will be moved by the emails just as Peter was. They can learn more about the award-winning journalist through the writings of friends and colleagues, and revisit the 400 days he spent in prison through the eyes of supporters. There are letters from names we recognise, like Wendy Harmer, Kaz Cooke, Tracey Spicer and Julie Bishop, and from ordinary women, men and children who hoped that stories from their everyday lives might make Peter's time in prison more bearable.
• Profits from this book will assist the Foreign Prisoner Support Service.

Genres: Nonfiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2015

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have cried so many times while producing this title over the past few months: while selecting the letters for inclusion, while proof-reading and while choosing highlights for the extract in The Huffington Post tomorrow. There are plenty to make you smile, too, whether at old friends' happy memories of their time with Peter over the years, or complete strangers telling him about their everyday lives in a bid to help him through his time in prison. It's been a privilege to work with the letters. I hope you all enjoy them too.
Don't forget to use #FreeAJStaff and #JournalismIsNotACrime on social media. Peter's colleagues remain in prison in Egypt, and Peter is unable to return to his career as a foreign correspondent while the conviction hangs over him.

[Nancy Shepherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free through Goodreads. I found the background of the story appalling; of course, we Americans find it difficult to accept that journalists are imprisoned for doing their job. That being said, I found the emails especially heartening. To think that people all over the world followed this story and took time to write in support of Peter Greste and his family is mind-boggling. I still do not understand, cannot accept, that it is possible for a journalist to be imprisoned for more than a year simply for being a reporter and reporting the news as it happened.

[Gro-Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was absolutely an interesting book. But as I did not know much about this case before I read the book, I didn't get the feeling from it the way I probably would have if I had known more. Without the feeling of it, the book became repetetive and kind of boring after a while.

I do belive the book would be a lot more interesting to someone more familiar with this case.

[Paige Garland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious! Inspiring! Heart-felt! A delightful book brimming with wonderfully entertaining stories by ordinary people all over the world trying to cheer up Al Jazeera journalist, Peter Greste. It is also an historically important text. #freeAJstaff campaign and Australian-Latvian Peter Greste's incarceration for 400 days in Egypt was rich source material for the authors. Press freedom, free speech, democracy and social justice are themes throughout the book. It is also part biography. It provides a snapshot into globally acclaimed foreign correspondent, Peter Greste's life through the letters of colleagues and friends. Fascinating and adventurous life! I am honoured to have three of my letters that I sent to him while he was in prison, published in "Prison Post". All profits in the books first year of sale are being donated to the Foreign Prisoner Support Service - a very worthy cause!