Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to three years by Egyptian court

CAIRO, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Three Al Jazeera journalists were sentenced to three years in prison after being retried and found guilty Saturday of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

Canadian national Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Australian Peter Greste were convicted of "spreading false news" and aiding the banned Muslim Brotherhood group. Fahmy was also sentenced to an additional six months for possessing a used bullet casing. The men have long denied the allegations.

Al Jazeera Media Network's acting director general, Mostefa Souag, condemned the conviction, saying "today's verdict defies logic and common sense."

"The whole case has been heavily politicized and has not been conducted in a free and fair manner," the news organization said. "There is no evidence proving that our colleagues in any way fabricated news or aided and abetted terrorist organizations and at no point during the long drawn out retrial did any of the unfounded allegations stand up to scrutiny."

The three men were arrested in December 2013 and convicted last year. After appeal, they were granted a retrial and released. Greste returned to Australia and Mohamed and Fahmy had been free on bail in Egypt. Officials said they will seek to extradite Greste.

Shocked. Outraged. Angry. Upset. None of them convey how I feel right now. 3 yr sentences for @bahrooz, @MFFahmy11 and me is so wrong.

— Peter Greste (@PeterGreste) August 29, 2015

Fahmy and Mohamed will be able to appeal the verdicts, but Greste will not because he was not physically present in court.

Keep shouting for us my colleagues I'm sorry. from now on will not be able to keep in touch with you #FreeAJStaff

— Baher Mohamed (@Bahrooz) August 29, 2015