The Prime Minister is ''deeply concerned'' about Australian journalist Peter Greste, now jailed in Egypt, and the government has made representations for his release, a spokesman said, as images of him in a courtroom cage shocked his parents and the world.
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Greste's parents said on Thursday that they were haunted and depressed by the court images. At the hearing in Cairo on Wednesday Al Jazeera reporter Greste appeared in a cage dock along with five other defendants, dressed in a white prison uniform.
Juris and Lois Greste said support for their son had lifted their spirits but they were horrified by the images. ''It certainly shocked me,'' Juris Greste said in Brisbane. ''It absolutely rocked me to see him in the cage.''
The journalist's brother, Mike Greste, said the family wanted Tony Abbott to intervene but was willing to wait.
Greste is accused of backing the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood and broadcasting ''misleading'' news about the political situation in Egypt. He faces up to seven years in prison.
In court on Wednesday he called for Mr Abbott to speak against his detention.
Mr Abbott's spokesman said on Thursday: ''We strongly support a free media and the Australian government is deeply concerned about the charges that have been laid against Mr Peter Greste and the fact that he is currently subject to criminal proceedings in Egypt.''
He said the government had made a number of representations in support of Greste's release.
''The Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, has personally raised concerns about Mr Greste's arrest with the Egyptian government and authorities and we will continue to make representations on behalf of Mr Greste to secure his release.''
Consular officials attended the court on Wednesday and continue to provide support.
The Australian Greens say Mr Abbott owes it to journalists and press freedom to call on Egypt to release Greste. ''Where are you, Tony Abbott, when an Australian citizen needs you?'' Greens leader Christine Milne said.
She said Greste was not getting a fair trial on the ''trumped-up charges'' and he had not even been allowed an interpreter.
On Thursday night, Ms Bishop defended the handling of Greste's case, saying the Australian government had left ''no stone unturned'' to secure his release.
''It would be counter productive however for me to go into details and give a running commentary on this,'' she told reporters in Sydney.
He is in the middle of a trial. He is going back to court and our focus is to ensure he is released as early and quickly as possible.''
Ms Bishop said she had discussed the case with her Egyptian counterpart this week and has pursued every channel available to make representations to authorities in Cairo.
The Latvian government has also spoken out about the detention of Greste, who is a dual Australian-Latvian citizen.
''We expect his immediate release as he has committed no crime,'' Latvian foreign ministry spokesman Karlis Eihenbaums told AFP.
Greste is due to reappear in court on March 24.
