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Egyptian court orders retrial of Al Jazeera journalists | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Defense lawyer of Al-Jazeera English journalist Egyptian–Canadian Mohammed Fahmy, Nejad Al-Borai, speaks to the press outside the high court in downtown Cairo on January 1, 2015. (AFP Photo/Khaled Desouki)


Defense lawyer of Al-Jazeera English journalist Egyptian–Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, Nejad Al-Borai, speaks to the press outside the high court in downtown Cairo on January 1, 2015. (AFP Photo/Khaled Desouki)

Defense lawyer of Al-Jazeera English journalist Egyptian–Canadian Mohammed Fahmy, Nejad Al-Borai, speaks to the press outside the high court in downtown Cairo on January 1, 2015. (AFP Photo/Khaled Desouki)

Cairo, Reuters—Egypt’s highest court has ordered a retrial of three jailed journalists working for Al Jazeera television, citing procedural flaws in last year’s trial, defense lawyers said on Thursday.

Australian Peter Greste, Canadian–Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian national Baher Mohamed were sentenced to seven to 10 years on charges including spreading lies to help a “terrorist organisation”—a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

The case has contributed to tensions between Egypt and Qatar, where Al Jazeera is based.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi could pardon or deport the journalists, but has so far refused to intervene, citing the independent judiciary.

Relatives’ hopes the retrial decision would include an immediate release on bail for the men, held for over a year in Tora Prison, were disappointed, but their lawyers can apply for bail at the first retrial hearing. Two defense attorneys said the new proceedings could begin within a month although the judge had not set a date.

“They will not be released until they appear before the new chamber, which will decide whether to release them or not,” said Mostafa Nagy, who represents Greste and Mohamed.

The journalists say they were simply reporting the news when arrested in December 2013.

Greste’s parents, grim-faced, left quickly after the hearing at the High Court in Cairo. “We need some time to process. It’s not as positive as we had hoped,” his mother, Lois, said.

In a statement, Al Jazeera reiterated its position that the trial was flawed and demanded the release of its journalists.

“The Egyptian authorities have a simple choice—free these men quickly or continue to string this out, all the while continuing this injustice and harming the image of their own country in the eyes of the world. They should choose the former,” the TV channel said.

Many Egyptians see Al Jazeera as a force determined to destabilize the country, a view that has been encouraged in the local media, which has labelled the journalists “The Marriott Cell” because they worked from a hotel of the US-based chain.

Mursi’s ouster soured ties between Egypt and Qatar, which backed the Brotherhood. But recent Saudi-led efforts to repair relations had raised hopes the journalists might be freed.

“I hope relations keep getting better [between Qatar and Egypt] for those poor, innocent journalists who got stuck in the middle,” Fahmy’s brother Adel said at the court.

Fahmy’s fiancé, Marwa Omara, told reporters before the court ruling that she expected a political solution to end the journalists’ imprisonment, not a legal one.