Expectations are growing that three jailed Al Jazeera journalists, including Australian Peter Greste, will be released within days amid a thawing of Cairo's ties with Qatar, the channel's base.
An appeal is to be heard by Egypt's top court on Thursday for Greste, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohamed of the satellite news broadcaster's English service.
They were arrested in December 2013 in a case that triggered global outrage.
Greste and Fahmy each got seven years, and Mohamed was jailed for 10.
In June, the reporters, who authorities say lacked proper accreditation, were jailed for aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood and spreading "false information" after the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
The Brotherhood, which saw great electoral success after the fall of long-time leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011, has since been declared a "terrorist organisation" in Egypt.
"The Court of Cassation could order a retrial, issue a new verdict or acquit the defendants," said Fahmy's defence lawyer Negad al-Borai, adding that the appeal could even be dismissed.
The three, who on Monday completed one year in prison, could also be freed on bail if a retrial is ordered, he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Monday downplayed speculation of a release, saying there had been mixed signals from Egyptian authorities.
Greste's parents told ABC in Australia they were hopeful the three would soon be released, saying they had "confidence in the integrity of the Egyptian appeals system".
Rallies in support of the three were held in London and The Hague on Monday.
Al Jazeera's appeal cited "flaws in the arrest procedure" and "the fact that evidence presented in court did not marry with the charges".
Thursday's hearing comes as ties between Qatar and Egypt improve following mediation by Saudi Arabia, a key Sisi backer.
Last month, Qatar joined its Gulf neighbours in supporting Egypt under Sisi in an attempt to end Doha's regional isolation over its backing for the Brotherhood.
And on December 20 Cairo told a Qatari envoy it was ready for a "new era" with Doha, as the emirate offered its "full support" to Sisi.
Two days later, Al Jazeera announced the surprise closure of its Egyptian channel, which had consistently criticised Cairo since Morsi's ouster.
"The warming of Cairo-Doha relations could be a consideration in influencing the judge's decision on Thursday," said Mustapha Kamel Al-Sayyid, professor of political science at the University of Cairo.
"No one can be sure, but it is quite likely the final result will be the release of the journalists. How and when that happens is another issue," H.A. Hellyer of the Centre for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington told AFP.
Sisi himself has said he would have preferred the journalists had been deported rather than tried.
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