Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy has relinquished his Egyptian citizenship in order to get his release and deportation under a presidential decree, reports AFP.
The step is necessary for him to be released and deported as a foreign national as he also has Canadian citizenship.
A relative of Fahmy said he signed the papers giving up his citizenship more than a week ago.
"It was very hard for him because he is a proud Egyptian who comes from a family of military servicemen," the relative told AFP.
An Egyptian official following the case said the final legal procedures for his deportation were being completed.
But the channel's head of news, Heather Allan, admitted she was not completely sure whether Mohamed would be released as he had no second passport.
"I can't say I am confident, no. I just don't know, honestly. Are we going to keep on fighting it? Absolutely. We are not going to leave him there," she said.
