Egypt’s Sisi Expresses Desire for Al Jazeera Journalists Not to Be Tried, According to Reuters

By Ali Abdelaty

CAIRO – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has made his first sympathetic comments regarding three imprisoned Al Jazeera journalists, expressing his preference that they had been deported instead of facing trial, according to a local newspaper.

An Egyptian court recently sentenced Australian journalist Peter Greste, along with Mohamed Fahmy, a dual Canadian-Egyptian citizen and Al Jazeera English Cairo bureau chief, and Baher Mohamed, a producer for the network, to prison terms ranging from seven to ten years. This ruling has sparked widespread international outrage.

"The verdict had very negative effects," Sisi was quoted as saying during a meeting with local journalists. "I wished they were deported right after they were arrested instead of getting put on trial."

Initially, Sisi had stated that he would not interfere with court decisions. However, his recent remarks may suggest he is considering using his presidential authority to pardon the journalists, who have the option to appeal their verdict in a higher court.

Last year, Sisi, a former army chief, led the removal of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi amid large-scale protests against his administration. Following Mursi’s ouster, the Egyptian government undertook a security crackdown on Islamist activists and targeted various media outlets, particularly those critical of the government, including Al Jazeera.

The network, which is owned by Qatari individuals with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, denounced the verdict as lacking "logic, sense and any semblance of justice."

In response to the ruling, the United States criticized the sentences as "chilling, draconian" and called for their reversal. Additionally, Britain, whose ambassador attended the trial, summoned the Egyptian ambassador to lodge a formal complaint.

The three journalists were apprehended in December and were convicted of aiding a "terrorist group," specifically referring to Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, by disseminating false information that jeopardized national security, as well as providing financial and logistical support to various individuals.

Egypt has officially banned the Muslim Brotherhood, designating it as a terrorist organization.