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3 journalists jailed in Egypt for harbouring wanted colleagues

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Egypt

The head of a journalists union and two board members have been sentenced to two years in prison each by an Egyptian court for harbouring their colleagues wanted by the law and also allegedly spreading false news.

The decision by the court to sentence the trio of Yehia Qalash, Khaled al-Balshy and Gamal Abdel Rahim who according to reports can appeal the decision, comes as authorities try to quell rising dissent against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

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“The case shouldn’t have gone to court to begin with,” said Gamal Eid, a human rights lawyer and founder of a rights organisation, the Arab Network for Human Rights Information.

“The decision is political … We are not talking here about law and the judiciary.”

Human rights activists and lawyers have condemned the decision as the verdict marks the first time for a head of the journalists syndicate to be put on trial since the union was founded 75 years ago.

 

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