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| Egyptian Court Orders Retrial for 3 Al Jazeera Journalists | Egyptian Court Orders Retrial for 3 Al Jazeera Journalists |
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| CAIRO — Egypt’s highest appeals court on Thursday ordered a retrial for three imprisoned journalists from Al Jazeera’s English-language network, acknowledging critical procedural flaws in a case that focused international criticism on the country’s government. | CAIRO — Egypt’s highest appeals court on Thursday ordered a retrial for three imprisoned journalists from Al Jazeera’s English-language network, acknowledging critical procedural flaws in a case that focused international criticism on the country’s government. |
| But the decision, after a brief hearing Thursday morning, offered no guarantees that the journalists would be freed. Lawyers for the journalists said that the judges had declined requests to suspend their clients’ sentences as they awaited a new trial, as a result extending their imprisonment, which has lasted for more than a year. | But the decision, after a brief hearing Thursday morning, offered no guarantees that the journalists would be freed. Lawyers for the journalists said that the judges had declined requests to suspend their clients’ sentences as they awaited a new trial, as a result extending their imprisonment, which has lasted for more than a year. |
| “I’m disappointed,” said Adel Fahmy, a brother of Mohamed Fahmy, one of the journalists. “We were banking on a retrial with a release. I was expecting something better today.” | “I’m disappointed,” said Adel Fahmy, a brother of Mohamed Fahmy, one of the journalists. “We were banking on a retrial with a release. I was expecting something better today.” |
| The journalists — Mr. Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed — were convicted in June on charges that included conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood to broadcast false reports. All three were sentenced to seven-year prison terms, but Mr. Mohamed received three additional years for possessing a spent bullet casing. Rights advocates described the case, from arrests to convictions, as a travesty and as reflective of a withering crackdown by the Egyptian government on dissent and on freedom of the press. | The journalists — Mr. Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed — were convicted in June on charges that included conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood to broadcast false reports. All three were sentenced to seven-year prison terms, but Mr. Mohamed received three additional years for possessing a spent bullet casing. Rights advocates described the case, from arrests to convictions, as a travesty and as reflective of a withering crackdown by the Egyptian government on dissent and on freedom of the press. |
| The defendants were not present on Thursday, and reporters were barred from entering the court building in downtown Cairo until the hearing had concluded. | The defendants were not present on Thursday, and reporters were barred from entering the court building in downtown Cairo until the hearing had concluded. |
| The case has drawn special notice because two of the journalists are foreigners: Mr. Fahmy holds both Egyptian and Canadian citizenship, and Mr. Greste is Australian. But their ordeal, which the journalists have outlined in letters from prison and in messages sent through family members, has also highlighted the plight of thousands of people swept up by the authorities on charges that are widely viewed as politically motivated. | The case has drawn special notice because two of the journalists are foreigners: Mr. Fahmy holds both Egyptian and Canadian citizenship, and Mr. Greste is Australian. But their ordeal, which the journalists have outlined in letters from prison and in messages sent through family members, has also highlighted the plight of thousands of people swept up by the authorities on charges that are widely viewed as politically motivated. |
| The journalists’ convictions were also most likely motivated by a feud between Egypt’s government and the rulers of Qatar. Qatar, which owns the Al Jazeera news network, is a strong backer of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist political movement that was outlawed after the military ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. | The journalists’ convictions were also most likely motivated by a feud between Egypt’s government and the rulers of Qatar. Qatar, which owns the Al Jazeera news network, is a strong backer of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist political movement that was outlawed after the military ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. |
| A recent thaw in relations between the two governments, brokered by Saudi Arabia, had raised hopes that Egypt would finally release the journalists. In December, in a major concession, Qatar suspended the broadcast of an Egyptian affiliate of Al Jazeera that had been sharply critical of Egypt’s government. | A recent thaw in relations between the two governments, brokered by Saudi Arabia, had raised hopes that Egypt would finally release the journalists. In December, in a major concession, Qatar suspended the broadcast of an Egyptian affiliate of Al Jazeera that had been sharply critical of Egypt’s government. |
| President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt also issued a decree in November allowing him to deport non-Egyptians convicted of crimes to their home countries, in a further sign that his government was seeking ways to deal with what had been an embarrassing case. | |
| The decree could free Mr. Fahmy and Mr. Greste, but it would not help Mr. Mohamed, an Egyptian citizen. Lawyers said on Thursday that the three journalists could also be granted bail at the start of their new trial, which is expected to begin within a month. | The decree could free Mr. Fahmy and Mr. Greste, but it would not help Mr. Mohamed, an Egyptian citizen. Lawyers said on Thursday that the three journalists could also be granted bail at the start of their new trial, which is expected to begin within a month. |
| In their request for a new trial, the lawyers argued that prosecutors had made several procedural errors during the previous proceeding, and that evidence had been tampered with. The lawyers also said that accusations that the journalists belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood were not relevant because the case was brought months before an Egyptian court had designated the movement as a terrorist group. | In their request for a new trial, the lawyers argued that prosecutors had made several procedural errors during the previous proceeding, and that evidence had been tampered with. The lawyers also said that accusations that the journalists belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood were not relevant because the case was brought months before an Egyptian court had designated the movement as a terrorist group. |
| The judges did not immediately release their reasons for ordering a new trial. The appeals court, the Court of Cassation, is considered one of the most rigorous and independent legal bodies in Egypt. | The judges did not immediately release their reasons for ordering a new trial. The appeals court, the Court of Cassation, is considered one of the most rigorous and independent legal bodies in Egypt. |
| In a statement after the court decision on Thursday, Al Jazeera said that the Egyptian authorities had a choice: “Free these men quickly, or continue to string this out, all the while continuing this injustice and harming the image of their own country in the eyes of the world. They should choose the former.” | In a statement after the court decision on Thursday, Al Jazeera said that the Egyptian authorities had a choice: “Free these men quickly, or continue to string this out, all the while continuing this injustice and harming the image of their own country in the eyes of the world. They should choose the former.” |