March 29, 2024
Imprisoned journalists spark international outrage
CAIRO - Two Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to three years' jail after being found guilty of "aiding a terrorist organization" have arrived back at Tora prison in southern Cairo, according to Egyptian media.

Security sources told the Egyptian MENA state news agency that Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Canadian Mohamed Fahmy were returned to the prison, just hours after sentencing in their retrial.

Australian journalist Peter Greste was also sentenced to three years' jail on Saturday but was earlier deported to his home country.

The journalists had been initially found guilty in June 2014 of aiding a "terrorist organisation", a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, which was outlawed in Egypt after the army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid bin Raad, said: "We are very disturbed by these three sentences and the extra pressure it creates on journalists in Egypt who are just trying to do their jobs."
The European Union said the verdict represented "a setback for freedom of expression in Egypt".

Judge Hassan Farid, in his ruling on Saturday, said he sentenced the men to prison at least partly because they had not registered with the country's journalist "syndicate".

He also said the men brought in equipment without security officials' approval, had broadcast "false news" on Al Jazeera and used a hotel as a broadcasting point without permission. (Source: Aljazeera)
Story Date: August 31, 2015
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