9 Ludicrous Pieces Of Evidence Used In Egypt To Jail Al Jazeera Journalists, From Gotye To Sheep Farming

9 Ludicrous Pieces Of Evidence Used In Egypt To Jail Al Jazeera Journalists

It would be funny if it wasn't so utterly tragic.

Prosecutors in Egypt used bizarre clips from pop videos, a journalist's holiday photos and documentaries about Somalia and Kenya (not Egypt) to prove that the three Al Jazeera journalists had disseminated false information and consorted with the Muslim Brotherhood - now a banned terror organisation.

Australian journalist and former BBC correspondent Peter Greste, along with Al Jazeera English Cairo bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy and producer Baher Mohamed, were given the maximum sentence available to the judge of seven years. Mohamed had a extra three years for carrying "ammunition", a shell casing he had picked up at a protest.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, described the sentencing as "outrageous".

"The NUJ condemns in the strongest terms these sentences meted on journalists who were merely doing their job," said Stanistreet. "This is an outrageous decision and travesty of justice made by a kangaroo court.

An Amnesty trial observer recorded examples of complete ineptitude during the proceedings, as well as several clear irregularities. In 12 court sessions, the prosecution failed to produce a single shred of solid evidence linking the journalists to a terrorism organisation or proving that they had “falsified” news footage.

Key witnesses for the prosecution also appeared to contradict their own written testimony, with technical experts admitting on cross-examination that they were unable to confirm their testimonies, the human rights watchdog said.

Here are 9 pieces of eyebrow-raising evidence that were mentioned at the trial.

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