DOHA: The Egypt verdict against Al Jazeera journalists “defies logic, sense, and any semblance of justice”, Al Jazeera said yesterday.
“We will continue with resolve until Peter, Baher and Mohammed are free,” said Al Jazeera English Managing Director Al Anstey, following yesterday’s verdict in Cairo.
“There is no justification whatsoever in the detention of our three colleagues for even one minute. To have detained them for 177 days is an outrage. To have sentenced them defies logic, sense, and any semblance of justice.
“Peter, Mohammed and Baher and six of our other colleagues were sentenced despite the fact that not a shred of evidence was found to support the extraordinary and false charges against them. At no point during the long drawn out ‘trial’ did the absurd allegations stand up to scrutiny. There were many moments during the hearings where in any other court of law, the trial would be thrown out. There were numerous irregularities in addition to the lack of evidence to stand up the ill-conceived allegations.
“For the verdict to be overturned, and justice to be recognised by Egypt, we must keep our voice loud to call for an end to their detention. Alongside us is a worldwide solidarity, a global call for their release, and a demand for basic freedoms to be respected. “The authorities in Egypt need to take responsibility for their actions, and be held to account by the global community,” he added.
