A Cairo court sentenced three Al Jazeera journalists to three years in jail on Saturday after finding them guilty of "aiding a terrorist organization."
Egyptian Baher Mohamed, Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Australian Peter Greste were all handed three-year jail sentences when the court delivered the verdict on Saturday, sparking worldwide outrage, Al Jazeera reported.
Mohamed was sentenced to an additional six months for possession of a spent bullet casing.
The journalists had been initially found guilty in June 2014 of aiding a "terrorist organization," a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, which was outlawed after the army overthrew the country's first freely-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013.
Judge Hassan Farid, in his ruling on Saturday, said he sentenced the men to prison at least partly because they had not registered with the country's journalist "syndicate."
He also said the men brought in equipment without security officials' approval, had broadcast "false news" on Al Jazeera and used a hotel as a broadcasting point without permission.
The verdict was immediately condemned worldwide.
“The verdict today sends a very dangerous message in Egypt,” said international lawyer Amal Clooney, speaking to reporters moments after the ruling. “It sends a message that journalists can be locked up for simply doing their job, for telling the truth and reporting the news.
