Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed listen to a ruling at a court in Cairo
Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed (L to R) listen to a ruling at a court in Cairo June 23, 2014. The three Al Jazeera journalists were jailed for seven years in Egypt on Monday after the court convicted them of helping a "terrorist organization" by spreading lies, in a case that has raised questions about the country's respect for media freedoms. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih

Australian journalist Peter Greste welcomed the release of his Al Jazeera colleagues, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. The remaining two journalists were freed in Egypt on Thursday.

Even though Greste welcomed the release, he said that it was too early to celebrate the release of his Al Jazeera colleagues. Greste, who spent 400 days in an Egyptian prison with the other two, said that he was looking forward to the day when all three of them would be declared innocent in court.

"One of the hardest things I've ever had to do was to walk out of prison and leave them behind, so it is wonderful to know that they're at last able to join their families as I did just over a week ago," Greste said in a statement. "The release on bail generated enormous joy and goodwill not just amongst our families and friends, but amongst our thousands of supporters around the world." Greste emphasised that “the party” would begin only after they proved their innocence.

Egyptian Baher was released without bail. He expressed his joy of freedom with three words on Twitter: “I AM FREE.” His wife Jehan Rashed said after the release that she would go home immediately to tell the children that their “dad” was coming home with “all sorts of presents.” Baher was yet to meet his youngest son Haroun as he was born in August 2014 after his arrest.

This was the first time Fahmy was allowed to get out of the caged dock and face the judge. He said that the authorities had asked him to drop his Egyptian nationality so that they could get the case done with. Canadian journalist Fahmy was released on bail of $A42,810.

Greste was the first among the three to be released. The Al Jazeera journalists were arrested in Egypt and charged with plotting against the state. They were accused of working together with the Muslim Brotherhood, a banned organisation in Egypt. They were also blamed for reporting fabricated news to malign Egypt’s image around the world.

Al-Jazeera English’s head of newsgathering, Heather Allan, expressed gratitude for the release. She hoped that “the whole thing” was “thrown out.”

Related: Australian PM Thanks Egyptian President For Peter Greste Release

Related: Egypt Frees Australian Journalist Peter Greste After 400 Days Of Prison

Related: Peter Greste Attends First Press Conference After Release

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@IBTimes.com.au