Trial Of Al Jazeera Journalists In Egypt Becomes Even More Surreal

Trial Of Al Jazeera Journalists Is Completely Surreal
Egyptian Judge Mohame Shreen Fahmi (C) listens to a witness during the trial of Al-Jazeera channel's journalists for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood on June 1, 2014 at the police institute near Cairo's Tora prison. The high-profile case that sparked a global outcry over muzzling of the press is seen as a test of the military-installed government's tolerance of independent media, with activists fearing a return to autocracy three years after the Arab Spring uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Egyptian Judge Mohame Shreen Fahmi (C) listens to a witness during the trial of Al-Jazeera channel's journalists for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood on June 1, 2014 at the police institute near Cairo's Tora prison. The high-profile case that sparked a global outcry over muzzling of the press is seen as a test of the military-installed government's tolerance of independent media, with activists fearing a return to autocracy three years after the Arab Spring uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

The trial of three Al Jazeera journalists in Egypt continued on Sunday, angering the defendants, their supporters and other journalists around the world.

Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were denied bail in their 11th court appearance since their arrest in December on charges of broadcasting false news and conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood. The defendants and Al Jazeera reject the charges.

The journalists last appeared in court in May, when the prosecution presented evidence against them. That evidence included a picture that was allegedly Photoshopped, an audio clip of a Gotye song and video clips.

The prosecution's charges were based on the written statements from members of a technical committee from Egyptian state television. When the technical committee members testified in court Sunday, however, they were unable to name which Al Jazeera videos they watched and which videos allegedly supported the Muslim Brotherhood.

BBC correspondent Orla Guerin was among the media in the courtroom covering the trial.

The experts' testimony, The Guardian's Patrick Kingsley reported, contradicted the prosecution's charges. Guerin tweeted:

Fahmy also shouted out from his cage in the courtroom.

Guerin added:

The trial has been adjourned until Thursday. Greste, Fahmy and Mohamed have been in jail in Cairo for 155 days.

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