Three journalists with the TV channel Al Jazeera have been sentenced to three years in prison by a Egyptian court. The verdict in their retrial on
ADVERTISEMENTThree journalists with the TV channel Al Jazeera have been sentenced to three years in prison by a Egyptian court.
The verdict in their retrial on Saturday sparked shock on the public benches.
The case has triggered an international outcry since the trio were originally sentenced to between seven to 10 years in jail on charges including spreading lies to help a terrorist organisation, a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Now they have been sentenced in Cairo for operating without a press license.
Judge Hassan Farid said the defendants, dubbed the “Marriott Cell” by the local press because they worked out of a hotel belonging to that chain, “are not journalists and not members of the press syndicate” and broadcast with unlicensed equipment.
The trio denied all charges.
One of them, Australian Peter Greste, was not present, having been deported in February.
He took to Twitter to expressed his dismay at the verdict.
Shocked. Outraged. Angry. Upset. None of them convey how I feel right now. 3 yr sentences for @bahrooz, @MFFahmy11 and me is so wrong.
— Peter Greste (@PeterGreste) 29 Août 2015
The others Mohamed Fahmy, a naturalised Canadian who has given up his Egyptian citizenship and Egyptian Baher Mohamed – who had both been released on bail – now return to prison.