“The trial of Al-Jazeera’s journalists, which also seems to be a political trial of Al-Jazeera itself, is symptomatic of the state of freedom of information today in Egypt,” Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said in a statement.
Three journalists on trial in an Egyptian court on terrorism-related charges were awaiting its verdict on Friday, hopeful that they will be acquitted after lengthy proceedings criticized worldwide by press freedom and human rights advocates.
Canadian national Mohammed Fahmy, who was Al-Jazeera’s acting Cairo bureau chief, said he was particularly hopeful because senior Egyptian officials had agreed to meet his lawyer Amal Clooney, arriving to represent him in Cairo for the first time in Saturday’s proceedings. Details