Sunday, August 30, 2015
.svg)
Al Jazeera journalists Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed, and Australian Peter Greste were sentenced yesterday to three years in prison by judge Hassan Farid following a retrial of their 2013 arrest in Cairo.
The three men were accused of and charged with aiding banned Egyptian organization the Muslim Brotherhood, broadcasting false information and operating without a press license within Egypt. Fahmy and Mohamed were present at the courtroom in Cairo's Tora Prison, while Greste was deported to Australia in February following an overturned conviction, and as a result was tried in absentia after an ordered re-trial.
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop has commented on the court's decision, saying she would use all diplomatic means available with the Egyptian minister of foreign affairs to clear Grestse's name.
Al Jazeera continue to deny the accusations.
"The situation is a challenge to journalism as a whole. If this stands unchallenged, this formula will be repeated elsewhere. Journalists should not be imprisoned for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime", stated Al Jazeera online. They indicated intent to appeal the verdict to the Court of cassation.
Peter Greste tweeted on 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."
Related news[edit]
- "Egyptian court sends three Al-Jazeera journalists to jail" — Wikinews, June 23, 2014
Sources[edit]
- Sarah Sirgany, Laura Smith-Spark, Ian Lee. "Egyptian court sentences 3 Al Jazeera journalists to prison" — CNN, August 30, 2015
- Peter Greste. "Peter Greste Twitter status" — Twitter, August 29, 2015
- News Corp Australia Network. "Australian journalist Peter Greste and Al-Jazeera colleagues Mohammed Fahmy, Baher Mohammed sentenced to three years jail" — The Courier-Mail, August 30, 2015
- Sophie McNeill. "Al Jazeera retrial: Peter Greste, Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed due to learn verdict of retrial" — ABC News (Australia), August 29, 2015
- "Al Jazeera staff sentenced to jail in Egypt" — Al Jazeera, August 29, 2015
- "FAQ: Al Jazeera's journalists on trial in Egypt" — Al Jazeera, August 29, 2015
- Julie Bishop. "Peter Greste Verdict" — Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia), August 29, 2015
from English Wikinews Atom feed. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Cairo_court_retrial:_Al_Jazeera_journalists_sentenced_to_three_years%E2%80%99_jail
