An Egyptian court has released the detailed ruling on why it sentenced three Al Jazeera English journalists to three years in prison for airing what it described as "false news," in a case long criticised by press freedom advocates and others.
The ruling, published by the state news agency MENA on Sunday, says the three men - Australian journalist Peter Greste, Canadian national Mohammed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed - were essentially serving the banned Muslim Brotherhood group, which authorities consider a terrorist organisation.
The ruling also said the three were biased in their reporting, operated without press credentials and secretly worked at a hotel in central Cairo without a permit.
Mohammed and Fahmy are now imprisoned, while Greste previously was deported. The journalists and the network deny the accusations.
