Egypt court hears new evidence in Jazeera

An Egyptian court trying Al Jazeera journalists has been shown new evidence, described as "meaningless" by Australian Peter Greste.

A defendant gestures in the accused cell

An Egyptian court trying Al Jazeera journalists has been shown evidence, described as "meaningless". (AAP)

Australian journalist Peter Greste has described the most recent evidence presented in an Egyptian trial of Al Jazeera journalists as "meaningless".

Prosecutors allege that the journalists and their Egyptian collaborators had colluded with the Brotherhood movement of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and falsely sought to portray Egypt as being in a state of "civil war" since his overthrow by the army last July.

But the defendants - eight of whom are in custody, including Greste - deny any link to the now terror-blacklisted Islamist group and insist they were merely gathering news.

At Tuesday's seven-hour hearing, prosecutors presented audio recordings of three Egyptian defendants who allegedly provided video footage of pro-Morsi demonstrations to the network's Egyptian arm, Al Jazeera Mubashir Misr.

Defence lawyers complained they were unable to hear the recordings due to their poor quality.

"If anyone understands the content, please inform us," one of the lawyers told the judges.

One judge responded: "I can hear it from my side".

Prosecutors also submitted photographs of maps said to be of the area around the embassy of the United Arab Emirates - the scene of several pro-Morsi protests, and leaflets calling for protests.

Greste said that it was another day of "meaningless" prosecution evidence.

"The case turns to be an abuse against journalism and freedom of speech," he told AFP during a recess.

Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, who was Al-Jazeera's Cairo bureau chief, told AFP: "If these are the evidences, we should see all journalists in the world on trial."

The court set the next hearing for May 3.

Greste's parents, who live in Brisbane, said the constant delays were difficult to accept.

"It's tough, emotionally and spiritually too," father Juris Greste told reporters.

"We are not trying to look over the horizon. We are living perhaps from one adjournment to the next."


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP

Tags

Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world