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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 in prison each on terrorism-related charges in a case that has caused an outcry from rights groups. Egypt's judiciary has dealt a shocking blow to the principle of free speech after three journalists for Al-Jazeera English were sentenced to between seven and 10 years in jail on charges of aiding terrorists and endangering national security.
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. The former BBC correspondent Peter Greste, from Australia, the ex-CNN journalist Mohamed Fahmy, and local producer Baher Mohammed were jailed for seven, seven and 10 years respectively. Four students and activists indicted in the case were sentenced to seven years.
"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. 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.
"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 courtroom packed with journalists, diplomats and relatives erupted at the verdict which came despite what independent observers said was a complete lack of evidence.
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. Shouting from the defendants' cage as he was led away, Fahmy, a Canadian-Egyptian citizen, said: "They'll pay for this". Greste's reaction could not be heard, but the faces of his two younger brothers – both present in court – were grim.
"I'm just stunned," said Andrew Greste, as reporters were pushed from the courtroom. "It's difficult to comprehend how they can have reached this decision."
Fahmy's mother and fiancée both broke down in tears, while his brother Adel, who travelled from his home in Kuwait for the verdict, reacted with fury.
"This is not a system," he said. "This is not a country. They've ruined our lives. It shows everything that's wrong with the system: it's corrupt. This country is corrupt through and through."
Diplomats and rights campaigners who have observed the trial expressed incredulity at the verdict.
"On the basis of the evidence that we've seen, we can't understand the verdict," said Larry King, the Australian ambassador in Cairo. "We will make our feelings clear to the Egyptian government and we will continue to provide all possible consular assistance."
Evidence provided by the prosecution included footage from channels and events with nothing to do with Egyptian politics or al-Jazeera. It included videos of trotting horses from Sky News Arabia, a song by the Australian singer Gotye, and a BBC documentary from Somalia.
Mohamed Lotfy, executive director of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms who has observed every session of the trial for Amnesty, said the verdict sent a chilling message to all opposition figures in Egypt.
"It's a warning to all journalists that they could one day face a similar trial and conviction simply for carrying out their official duties," Lotfy said. "This feeds into a wider picture of a politicised judiciary and the use of trials to crack down on all opposition voices."
The British ambassador, James Watt, said he was disappointed by the verdict: "Freedom of expression is fundamental to any democracy".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. It remains unclear what recourse the defendants will now take. Shouting as he left court, Fahmy said he would not seek an appeal – perhaps hopeful of an intervention from Egypt's new president, the former general Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. But Greste's youngest brother, Mike, later said an appeal was the only legal recourse left to his family.
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.
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.