Egypt court adjourns retrial of Al Jazeera journalists

The retrial of two Al Jazeera journalists currently freed on bail in Egypt has again been adjourned until March 25.

Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were jailed on charges of aiding a “terrorist organisation” and were freed on bail on February 12 after more than 400 days, but the court said the case against them was still pending.

The pair last appeared in court on March 8, when their trial was also adjourned.

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

The journalists were initially detained in December 2013. They say they were doing their jobs.

Greste was freed on February 1 and deported after 400 days in a Cairo prison. 

The journalists’ imprisonment reinforced the view of human rights groups that the government was rolling back freedoms gained after the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

Baher Mohamed was given an extra three years for possessing a single bullet he picked up at a protest.

A court last month released Fahmy, a naturalised Canadian who gave up his Egyptian citizenship, and Egyptian Mohamed, on bail after over 400 days in detention.

They were also ordered to check with the police daily.