Al-Jazeera on trial: the final session

Al Jazeera on trial: the final session

Mohamed, Fahmy and Greste in court. Picture tweeted by Patrick Kingsley

Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed of Al Jazeera English were today sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the court at Tora prison in Cairo. Below is a compilation of live tweets from the courtroom.
To follow international on Twitter, use the hashtags #ajtrial and #freeAJstaff.
For background to the case, see Patrick Kingsley's Guardian prelim from this morning here and his report on today's hearing here

The court hearings
Peter Greste background
Abdullah Elshamy freed

The reaction

After the spring, the fall @davpope cartoon 24.6.14 http://t.co/5EkN2LYXth #Egypt #AJTrial #FreeAJStaff #journalismisnotacrime #Greste
— ★Tachyglossus A.♥ (@echidna_paw) June 23, 2014

As a family we are devastated but our resolve is immense. The fight will continue and we will not rest. #AJTrial #freedom #FAMILY #fighting
— A_Greste (@AlisterGreste) June 23, 2014

#Ajtrial: This is not a one-off. There are between 16000 and 41000 political prisoners in Egypt. Sentences like this happen every day.
— Patrick Kingsley (@PatrickKingsley) June 23, 2014

As a friend I feel incredibly sad, as a journalist I'm scared, as an Egyptian I'm ashamed #AJTrial
— Sherine Tadros (@SherineT) June 23, 2014

PM @David_Cameron "completely appalled" by the guilty verdicts on 3 #AJTrial journalists sentenced to 7 years jail in Egypt
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) June 23, 2014

#Egypt should review unacceptable sentences against Egyptian and international journalists and show commitment to freedom of the press
— William Hague (@WilliamJHague) June 23, 2014

Gutted, devastated, dumbfounded, shattered, can't describe the emotions of today's outcome. #AJTrial
— Andrew Greste (@AndyroosteG) June 23, 2014

RT @fbnewswire: Peter Greste's family reacts to the news of his jailing. Family statement; https://t.co/IkyPK6hp5y #FreeAJStaff #AJTrial
— Jasmine Birtles (@Jasmine) June 23, 2014

#Ajtrial: Amnesty observer @mlotfy81: "It's a warning to all journalists that they could one day face a similar trial and conviction"
— Patrick Kingsley (@PatrickKingsley) June 23, 2014

Al Jazeera stands by its reporting from #Egypt. Watch our reports from July to December 2013 | http://t.co/mwPekkhdII #FreeAJStaff #AJTrial
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 23, 2014

Something not tweeted much in English: The 7 years given are "high security" for dangerous prisoners #Egypt #AJTrial
— Noor (@kelo3adi) June 23, 2014

#AJtrial: Some of @Repent11's relatives broke down. His brother Adel: "This is not a system. This is not a country. Theyve ruined our lives"
— Patrick Kingsley (@PatrickKingsley) June 23, 2014

Amnesty International says #AJTrial verdict a clear message to press, you cannot talk to opponents of gov and you are not free
— Leila Fadel (@LeilaFadel) June 23, 2014

Watch: Journalists remember working with the jailed AJE journalists http://t.co/7Dhze0kspZ #FreeAJStaff #AJTrial
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 23, 2014

Dutch FM on #AJTrial: "the minimum requirements for a fair trial were not met" says it is contrary to UN conventions.
— Joel Gulhane (@jgulhane) June 23, 2014

(The Dutch journalist Rena Netjes was jailed for ten years in absentia)

Sat through the majority of court sessions I can tell you there was no evidence to back up guilty verdict -devastating for #Egypt #AJTrial
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) June 23, 2014

Police officer outside #ajtrial chased journalists away from area like sheep,got cameras off air and said he doesn't care what we write
— Sarah El Deeb (@seldeeb) June 23, 2014

AL JAZEERA STATEMENT: #Egypt verdict "defies logic, sense, and any semblance of justice" http://t.co/LR4fcNT9vD #AJTrial
— Ben Gittleson (@bgittleson) June 23, 2014

.@JulieBishopMP: I have spoken to Peter Greste's parents and they are considering their legal options, including appeal #AJTrial
— ABC News 24 (@ABCNews24) June 23, 2014

The defense lawyer in the #AJTrial believe they will get a retrial on appeal. #Egypt
— Ian Lee (@ianjameslee) June 23, 2014

"Freedom and freedom of the press is fundamental to democracy." - Julie Bishop. #FreeAJStaff #AJTrial
— Steve Smith (@stevesmithffx) June 23, 2014

Bishop: We will now initiate contact with highest levels of new Egyptian government to see if intervention is possible #AJTrial #Greste
— SBS News (@SBSNews) June 23, 2014

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop: We are deeply dismayed by the fact that a sentence has been imposed and we are appalled. #AJTrial
— ABC News (@abcnews) June 23, 2014

#AlJazeera media release: Egypt verdict “defies logic, sense, and any semblance of justice” #AJTrial #FreeAJStaff #Greste
— James Oaten (@james_oaten) June 23, 2014

Who knew Egypt had kangaroo courts to jail innocent Aussies? #AJTrial #Greste #boycottEgypt
— Paul Nolan (@pwnolan) June 23, 2014

Mother of @Repent11 just came out if court crying "what did they do??" #AJTrial pic.twitter.com/HDT9nSn2sU
— Claire Read (@clear_red) June 23, 2014

Steve Crawshaw of Amnesty International says this goes beyond the #AJTrial and is a blow to freedom of expression in #Egypt.
— AJELive (@AJELive) June 23, 2014

Journalists jailed by #Egypt court just a day after US released $572 million in military aid to Sisi. Wrong message to send. #AJTrial
— Jack F X Moore (@JFXM) June 23, 2014

British ambassador says they have serious concerns about the process, disappointed by outcome #AJTrial
— Kate Benyon-Tinker (@katebt3000) June 23, 2014

Irony: Article 70 from the Egyptian constitution: "Freedom of journalism.. guaranteed by the state". #AJTrial pic.twitter.com/bL5nkwaGnd
— Mina Fayek (@minafayek) June 23, 2014

The AJ family and global community continue to stand united in support of our 3 colleagues wrongly jailed. #AJTrial pic.twitter.com/X9LMIyojIr
— Matt East (@MattyEast) June 23, 2014

Baher Mohammed: 10 years, 7 years for Greste and Fahmy& all except 2 students. Anas Beltagy+1 other acquitted. Shock in courtroom. #AJtrial
— Tom Dale (@tom_d_) June 23, 2014

Greste family white-faced, diplomats standing at the front of the court talking quietly as pandemonium swirls around them. #AJTrial
— Ruth Pollard (@rpollard) June 23, 2014

This verdict has done infinitely more damage to Egypt's reputation than anything the defendants could have presented on Al Jazeera #AJTrial
— Brown Moses (@Brown_Moses) June 23, 2014

#AJTrial: @PeterGreste did not say anything after sentence handed down. He just raised a fist in the air.
— Sharif Kouddous (@sharifkouddous) June 23, 2014

Shocking to hear club member @PeterGreste & colleagues @Repent11 @bahrooz sentenced to 7 years in jail by Egypt court #FreeAJStaff #AJTrial
— Frontline Club (@frontlineclub) June 23, 2014

Just 2 days ago, Minya court confirmed 183 death sentences imposed after a lightning & unfair trial #Egypt http://t.co/ejE82dXvPw #AJTrial
— Nadim Houry (@nadimhoury) June 23, 2014

I call on the #twitter community to rt if you believe in #freespeech #pressfreedom #ajtrial #FreeAJStaff @PeterGreste @AndyroosteG
— A_Greste (@AlisterGreste) June 22, 2014

#AJTrial: @Repent11 had to be dragged out of cage by police, shouting in rage. His brother Adel screamed insults at the court.
— Sharif Kouddous (@sharifkouddous) June 23, 2014

Journos taken from the defendant's cage. Grim, grim faces here. Utterly devastating. #AJTrial
— Ruth Pollard (@rpollard) June 23, 2014

Mohamed Fahmy draggrd from the courtroom cage screaming: "They will pay for this". His fiancée sobs as he leaves. #AJtrial
— Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) June 23, 2014

Reason journalists feel so strongly about #AJTrial in Egypt is we all know this could be any one of us. #journalismisnotacrime #FreeAJStaff
— Hamish Macdonald (@hamishNews) June 23, 2014

Defendants singing in the cage #AJTrial
— Kate Benyon-Tinker (@katebt3000) June 23, 2014

Al Jazeera on trial

Peter Greste
Mohamed Fahmy
Baher Mohamed
177 DAYS
IN CAIRO JAIL
FOUND GUILTY
SENTENCED TO
SEVEN YEARS

When the journalist becomes the story rather than reporting it, you ask yourself why this happened and who is responsible for detaining you in the terrorism wing of Egypt’s most notorious prison.
To silence me and my colleagues on the pretext that we are a threat to national security and members of a terrorist organization is a sheer insult to the intelligence of Egyptian people and the democracy promoted in the newly ratified constitution
- Mohamed Fahmy, May 2

I have no particular fight with the Egyptian government, just as I have no interest in supporting the Muslim Brotherhood or any other group here. But as a journalist I am committed to defending a fundamental freedom of the press that no one in my profession can credibly work without."
- Peter Greste prison blog, January 25

Journalists are not just reporting the news. We are truth-seekers. Imagine for a moment what would happen if we stopped working with courage, if we abandoned our integrity, gave up on independence and freedom.
It would leave the world a far more ignorant place with dictators free to take advantage and flourish
- Baher Mohamed
letter from jail,
April 30

The court hearings
plus Storify and video

Peter Greste: the prison blogs, awards and background

World Press Freedom Day: a message from Greste plus an award for Fahmy

Follow @gameoldgirl

Abdullah Elshamy

It's not easy; the constant fear for my husband, the unbearable thoughts of what may happen to him in a country where rulers have demonstrated they have no respect for human rights and no understanding of the basic principles of justice or rule of law. But I have a sense of pride that he is ready to sacrifice his life for freedom - not just for his own freedom but for the freedom of every journalist, for the sake of truth.
I am proud that there is a human being willing to sacrifice that which is most precious to him, so that the hope of a free press and freedom of speech remains - and especially that this man is my husband.
- Gehad Khaled,
Al Jazeera,
April 30, 2014