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Al-Jazeera journalists jailed for seven years in Egypt Al-Jazeera journalists jailed for seven years in Egypt
(35 minutes later)
An Egyptian court has convicted three journalists from Al-Jazeera English and sentenced them to seven years each in prison on terrorism-related charges. An Egyptian court has convicted three journalists from Al-Jazeera English and sentenced them to seven years in prison each on terrorism-related charges in a case that has caused an outcry from rights groups.
Australian correspondent Peter Greste, Canadian-Egyptian acting Cairo bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy, and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed, were sentenced on Monday. Mohammed was sentenced to three extra years on a separate charge. The sentences were handed down against Australian correspondent Peter Greste, Canadian-Egyptian acting Cairo bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy, and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed, who also received an extra three years in prison on separate charges.
Three other journalists who were tried in absentia were given 10-year sentences. "I swear they will pay for this," Fahmy shouted angrily from the defendants' cage after the sentences were announced. Greste raised his fists in the air.
"They just ruined a family," said Fahmy's brother Adel, who was attending the session. He said they would appeal against the verdict despite having little faith in the system. "Everything is corrupt," he told the Associated Press.
The judge also handed 10-year sentences to British journalists Sue Turton and Dominic Kane and the Dutch journalist Rena Netjes, who were not in Egypt but being tried in absentia. Two defendants among 14 others on trial in the case were acquitted, including the son of Mohammed el-Beltagy, a senior figure in the Muslim Brotherhood.
The British ambassador, James Watt, said he was disappointed by the verdict: "Freedom of expression is fundamental to any democracy".
The trio were being tried alongside five students with links to Islamist protests, and the head of an Islamic charity, in an attempt to portray the journalists as the masterminds of a Muslim Brotherhood-linked plot to smear Egypt's reputation. In Egyptian media, the whole group is known as "the Marriott cell", after the hotel from where Fahmy and Greste were arrested. The journalists and students say they had never met each other before arriving at court for the first time in February.The trio were being tried alongside five students with links to Islamist protests, and the head of an Islamic charity, in an attempt to portray the journalists as the masterminds of a Muslim Brotherhood-linked plot to smear Egypt's reputation. In Egyptian media, the whole group is known as "the Marriott cell", after the hotel from where Fahmy and Greste were arrested. The journalists and students say they had never met each other before arriving at court for the first time in February.
The case has been portrayed by Egyptian media as a rightful attack on enemies of the state, as Al-Jazeera are seen in Egypt. But internationally the trial is seen as an affront to free speech – a point that American officials said the US secretary of state, John Kerry, stressed privately on a brief visit to Cairo on Sunday. The case has been portrayed by Egyptian media as a rightful attack on enemies of the state, as Al-Jazeera is seen in Egypt. But internationally the trial is seen as an affront to free speech – a point that American officials said the US secretary of state, John Kerry, stressed privately on a brief visit to Cairo on Sunday.
"We have made it clear to the Egyptians in the past, publicly and privately, and will continue to do so on this trip that we would like to see these journalists released," one state department official said."We have made it clear to the Egyptians in the past, publicly and privately, and will continue to do so on this trip that we would like to see these journalists released," one state department official said.
Evidence presented by the prosecution included several videos with little or no connection to Egyptian politics or Al-Jazeera. These include a programme about horse welfare by Sky News Arabia, a BBC documentary about Somalia, raw footage of a Kenyan press conference and a song by Gotye, an Australian singer-songwriter.Evidence presented by the prosecution included several videos with little or no connection to Egyptian politics or Al-Jazeera. These include a programme about horse welfare by Sky News Arabia, a BBC documentary about Somalia, raw footage of a Kenyan press conference and a song by Gotye, an Australian singer-songwriter.