Doha: Al Jazeera said it was “outraged” by an Egyptian court’s decision yesterday to postpone a verdict in the retrial of three of its journalists accused of supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood, in a case that has sparked a global outcry.
“We are outraged that the verdict has been adjourned as today was meant to be the final court hearing for our colleagues,” Dr Mostefa Souag, Acting Director General, Al Jazeera Media Network, said in a statement.
“We, along with others, expected a swift end to the ordeal for Baher Mohamed, Mohamed Fahmy and Peter Greste.
“All three men have been under immense stress and pressure for 19 months and delaying the final verdict has continued the strain on them and their families. We demand the Egyptian authorities bring an end to the charges against Baher, Peter and Mohamed which should be dropped immediately,” Dr Souag said, adding “journalism is not a crime”.
The three were jailed last year for “spreading false news” during their coverage of the turmoil after the Egyptian army removed Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in 2013.
Australian Greste has since been deported while Canadian Fahmy, who received seven years in the initial trial, and Egyptian Mohamed, jailed for 10 years, were freed on bail earlier this year after serving more than 400 days in detention.
An appeals court ordered a retrial, saying the verdict lacked evidence against the journalists working for Al Jazeera network’s English channel.
Yesterday, the court did not hold its much-anticipated session to announce a verdict, with a defence lawyer saying he had been told it was postponed, AFP reports. The ruling is expected on August 2, state news agency MENA said, though some relatives and lawyers said it was set for August 8. “The entire world has its eyes turned on Egypt because this is a decisive trial for media freedom,” the Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said. The Peninsula
