Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste were today Saturday August 29th sentenced to three years in prison for ;operating without a press license & broadcasting material harmful to Egypt.'
The verdict in a retrial was issued against Mohamed Fahmy, a naturalized Canadian who has given up his Egyptian citizenship, Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian, and Australian Peter Greste, who was deported in February and sentenced in absentia.
Egyptian judge Hassan Farid said he issued his ruling because the three weren't registered with the country's journalist syndicate. He also added that the journalists brought equipment without the approval of security officials into Egypt, as well as spread 'false news' and used a hotel as a broadcasting point without permission.
Reacting to the verdict which sparked international outcry, the acting director general of the Qatar-based news network, Mostefa Souag said in a statement:
"Today's verdict defies logic and common sense. Our colleagues Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy will now have to return to prison, and Peter Greste is sentenced in absentia. Today's verdict is yet another deliberate attack on press freedom. It is a dark day for the Egyptian judiciary; rather than defend liberties and a free and fair media they have compromised their independence for political reasons.”
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