The retrial of two English al-Jazeera journalists who face terror-related charges in a case widely criticized by human rights organizations and media groups was set to begin yesterday in Egypt, but after a brief session, the court postponed the trial to March 8.
Acting bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed have been free on bail since earlier this month awaiting trial, though they have had to check in with police each day.
The two, arrested in December 2013, face charges accusing them of being part of a terrorist group and airing falsified footage intended to damage Egyptian national security.
Photo: AFP
Qatar-based satellite news network al-Jazeera was the main backer of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, to which former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi belonged.
Since Morsi’s ouster, Egypt has been cracking down heavily on his supporters, and the journalists were accused of being mouthpieces for the Brotherhood.
Al-Jazeera and the journalists deny the allegations, saying they were simply reporting the news.
Another colleague arrested with them, Australian Peter Greste, was deported to Australia on Feb. 1 under a new law allowing foreigners accused of crimes to be deported.
Fahmy, who is a dual Egyptian-Canadian national, dropped his Egyptian citizenship after he said Egyptian security officials told him it was the only way he would benefit from the new law.
Egypt’s Court of Cassation, the nation’s highest appeals court, ordered the retrial, saying the initial proceedings were marred by violations of the defendants’ rights.
Fahmy received a seven-year prison sentence, while Mohammed received a 10-year sentence.
Eleven other defendants in the case — mostly students accused of being Brotherhood members — previously were ordered released without bail.
Since being released on bail, Fahmy, 40, has criticized al-Jazeera, saying its “epic negligence has made our situation harder, more difficult, and gave our captor more firepower.”
Mohammed, 31, previously said he was “optimistic” about his retrial, though he “decided not to have any expectations.”
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