Freeing Peter

by Peter Greste, Juris Greste, Michael Greste

Freeing Peter tells the extraordinary true story of how an ordinary Australian family took on the Egyptian government to get Peter Greste out of prison.
What would you do if a loved one were to suddenly find themselves in the most impossible of situations? That's the question addressed in Freeing Peter, jointly written by the family of Peter Greste following his arrest in Egypt in 2013 for allegedly threatening national security. The charges, arising from his work as a journalist, were unsubstantiated, but after a sham trial Peter was given a seven-year sentence. Having been jailed at the outset, he spent a total of four hundred days in prison.

Immediately following his arrest, his family went to work on the campaign to free him, with an intensity that meant his plight was seldom out of the headlines. But the process was by no means plain sailing, nor was there always agreement. The Grestes' ability to put aside their personal differences, to be galvanised rather than paralysed by the crisis, played a huge part in their success. Here they write frankly about the daily uncertainty, the strains of decision-making, the emotional visits to Peter in prison, the lack of transparency in the Egyptian legal system, the struggles with language and culture. For his part, Peter superbly depicts the effects of incarceration on his state of mind, and his battle to stop himself constructing a mental prison within the physical one.

Freeing Peter is an inspirational story about fortitude, resilience, and a highly functional family whose unity proved to be the saving of them.

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

Peter Greste was born in Sydney and studied journalism at the Queensland University of Technology. His work as a foreign correspondent for Reuters, the BBC and Al Jazeera has taken him around the world, and he has lived in London, Belgrade, Africa, South America and Afghanistan. He was awarded a Peabody Award in 2011 for his documentary on Somalia, and the Australian Human Rights Medal in 2015 for his work as an advocate of a free press. In 2103 he was arrested in Cairo, along with his Al Jazeera colleagues, for reporting news that was ‘damaging to national security’. He was subsequently tried and convicted for seven years, but was released without explanation after 14 months in prison, an experience he and his family recounted in Freeing Peter.

Reviews

[Andre Charadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won’t sugarcoat this bit: I only gave this a four because it was difficult to follow at times. The transcript-style narrative of the five Grestes was different, and may have been fine for a 3000 word magazine interview, but a full paperback? Perhaps not. It’s a shame because it’s a fantastic story. We know he gets out in the end, but the story is in the 400 days Peter Greste is in prison, mostly in custody without charge, the emotional and physical toll this takes on Lois, Juris, Andrew and Mike Greste as well as Peter, and the trials of dealing with a thoroughly flawed legal system. They’re honest about the difficulty, and frank about the incredible lengths they and many other people went to free Peter and his Al Jazeera colleagues.

[Shelley Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this account of an ordinary family faced with extraordinary circumstances. Using the five members of the family as five voices telling the story provides interesting insight into how Peter's 400 days unfolded. The tone is very Australian - pragmatic, down to earth and refreshingly honest. This is a real account, not a glossy glorified novel. It is definitely worth reading.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing account from an 'ordinary family'. Very powerful, and very moving. It was really good having the five different authors, it is understated, and even knowing the outcome before reading it, it is thriller like.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great structure. Level of detail was amazing. Loved hearing from all points of view

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an ordeal!
I don’t know Peter Greste! As far as I’m aware I’ve never read anything he’s written or heard anything he reported on. But what a story!
As his parents Lois & Juris set out with their other sons Andrew & Mike (& with their families, because there’s no way this couldn’t spill over) you can’t help but step into their shoes. They say they weren’t religious praying people, and I sincerely ask how you could have endured this season without Father Son & Holy Spirt intervening on your behalf. I’d like to hear the back story of the praying people!
The family came together in their hour of need. That speaks volumes for the Greste family. Praise the Lord God almighty that Peter was safe even though confined. The stories about dropping off items to make his life easier while confined were amazing. The food he cooked. Unbelievable. Jail to me is the bare minimum at the most. Ok you’re in a cement cube, but life carried on. Yes you’re correct, it’s worse for those with the freedom- who knew.
I loved Juris & Lois’s recounts, probably because I’m a parent. But the wanting to know everything! Oh my goodness I can relate! I’d be the same I’m sure.
I hope you have all settled back into normal Australian 🇦🇺 life, as normal as it can be here in 2025. Well done on living the adventure and being able to retell the tale successfully after the event! Well done! To God be the glory. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[Sarah Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

what a fucking embarrassment that episode was.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an inspirational effort. The determination and unflinching belief in the cause. Truly remarkable.

[Belgrave Book Club]

Suggested by Sue