Egypt court delays verdict in Al-Jazeera reporters’ retrial

PTI
CAIRO, JULY 30

“We are extremely angry that the verdict has been adjourned today,” Al-Jazeera’s English-language channel said on Twitter.
An Egyptian court on Thursday postponed its verdict in the retrial of three Al-Jazeera journalists accused of supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood, in a case that has sparked a global outcry. Australian Peter Greste, Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohamed were jailed last year for “spreading false news” during their coverage of the turmoil after the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.Greste, who has since been deported, and Fahmy received seven years in the initial trial, while Mohamed was jailed for 10 years. An appeals court ordered a retrial, saying the verdict lacked evidence against the three journalists working for the Doha-based network’s English channel. The court today did not hold its much-anticipated session, with a defence lawyer saying he had been told it was postponed. The ruling is now expected on August 2, state news agency MENA reported. Earlier some relatives and lawyers said it was set for August 8.
“We are extremely angry that the verdict has been adjourned today,” Al-Jazeera’s English-language channel said on Twitter.
Today’s session had been keenly awaited by rights groups and families of the defendants.