Fahmy release "imminent"

Jailed Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy (in the center of the photo above) is set to be freed from an Egyptian prison, with Canada's foreign minister calling his release "imminent."

The statement came a day after his Australian colleague Peter Greste was let out, to be deported back to Australia. Fahmy, Greste and a third man, Egyptian Baher Mohammed, have spent more than a year in a Cairo facility. Fahmy is expected to also be returned to Canada as soon as possible.

In December 2013 the group was arrested after covering protesters loyal to former President Mohammed Morsi - ousted by the military earlier that year. They were imprisoned on terrorism charges and for spreading false information; Egypt's interim government outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood soon after Morsi's removal from office.

At the time of the arrest Fahmy had been acting bureau chief for Al-Jazeera English for only a few months.

Citizenship the price for release

Greste and dual Egyptian-Canadian citizen Fahmy were each sentenced to seven years, while Mohammed received ten.

As a condition of his release Fahmy has been forced to give up his Egyptian citizenship, although authorities say he will be allowed to return as a tourist. No timeframe has been given for when he could be let out.

But there has been no word on the fate of Mohammed, who only holds Egyptian citizenship. Fahmy and Greste were released under a decree allowing President Fattah Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to deport foreign prisoners.

Canada's Baird set to resign

Meanwhile, the man who has been working on Fahmy's release, Foreign Minister John Baird, is expected to resign from the Cabinet today, after 20 years working in the public service.

He has held a number of portfolios under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, including environment, transport, house leader and treasury board president.

Baird is known for travelling extensively, and his support for Israel.

But he is best known for an embarrassing incident in which Prime Minister Harper sent his condolences to Buckingham Palace and the British government, mistakenly believing former leader Margaret Thatcher had died. Baird had sent a text message to a friend saying "Thatcher has died", referring to his pet cat, Thathcer. A federal election will be held in October this year. Baird's departure could see Prime Minister Stephen Harper's conservative government lose its Parliamentary majority.

The official announcement is expected at around 16:00 (15:00 GMT) Tuesday.

an/msh (AP, Reuters, AFP)