CAIRO: The verdict of the Al-Jazeera journalists over terror charges was adjourned Thursday to be announced August 2.
The postponement was confirmed by Mostafa Nagy, the lawyer of journalist Baher Mohamed in statements to The Cairo Post.
There were conflicted reports over the date of postponement as Al-Jazeera journalists and reporters were denied entry to the court.
The court was scheduled to hand down a verdict on Thursday (today) but was delayed over “administrative issues,” according to Youm7.
The three journos: Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and deported Australian Peter Greste are accused of broadcasting false news, joining the banned- Muslim Brotherhood group and operating from Egypt without license.
Outside court, both Fahmy and Mohamed expressed their ‘disappointment’ over the postponement.
“It is an insult as we have been suffering with no sleep; it is a very tough experience for us and our families that has extended for 19 months,” Fahmy told The Cairo Post. He added, “No clue what is happening, and it makes Egypt looks bad.”
Fahmy announced Thursday he has married Marwa, after they had a long struggle amid the absence of his passports.
“I am really disappointed today as I was expecting a verdict and an end to this nightmare,” Mohamed told The Cairo Post outside court.
In June 2014, the three were sentenced to seven-ten years in prison; an appeal court abolished the sentence in January “due to lack of evidence” and ordered a retrial.
During the retrial, the journalists’ lawyers cited “shallow” evidences presented in the prosecution’s accusations.