Egypt court sentences three Al-Jazeera journalists to 7 years in jail Monday June 23,2014

An Egyptian court has convicted three journalists for Al-Jazeera English and sentenced them to 7 years in prison each on terrorism-related charges.

The three of them -

• Australian correspondent Peter Greste
• Canadian-Egyptian acting Cairo bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy and 
• Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed

were sentenced on Monday June 23,2014

Baher Mohammed was sentenced to three extra years in prison on separate charges

The three were arrested in December 2013 as part of a sweeping crackdown on Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.

Rights groups have described the trial as a politically motivated sham reflecting the tense relations between Egypt and the Qatar-owned station. Qatar has been a strong supporter of Islamists in the region and in particular Egypt's former president, Mohammed Morsi, overthrown by the military last summer.

Egypt's president refuses to pardon three Al-Jazeera journalists jailed for seven years each for 'spreading false news'

 

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said he will not interfere in court rulings, a day after three Al-Jazeera journalists were sentenced to seven years in prison in a verdict that prompted an international outcry.

The ruling, on terrorism-related charges, stunned their families and brought a landslide of condemnation and calls for el-Sissi to intervene.

According to Egypt's constitution, the president has the right to issue a pardon or commute the sentences. U.S., Australian and other officials have urged el-Sissi to use this right to immediately release the journalists