Social media shows Greste's global support

Politicians, journalists, lawyers and family have taken to Twitter to express outrage over the seven year jail term handed to an Australian journalist.

The shock and disappointment from the global community over journalist Peter Greste's seven year jail term can be gauged on social media.

Journalists, politicians, lawyers and enraged everyday people bombarded Twitter with messages of disgust and support for the jailed Al Jazeera journalist as soon as the news broke.

Among them was Peter Greste's brother, Andrew.

"Gutted, devastated, dumbfounded, shattered," he tweeted.

"Can't describe the emotions of today's outcome."

Opposition leader Bill Shorten said it was awful news.

"Journalists should not be jailed for doing their job," his tweet read.

Human rights lawyer Jen Robinson said the result was a "devastating outcome for press freedom".

Not long after the sentence was delivered, the hashtags #FreeAJStaff, #Greste and #AJTrial were trending on the social media site.

Journalists also used Twitter to fledge their support for Greste.

"Appalling news on Peter Greste and his colleagues," Media Watch host Paul Barry said.

"Unjust, unfair, a total farce...bastards."

Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan, who was held hostage in Somalia in 2008, said: "nothing like a dictatorship to show its true colours by squashing freedom of speech".

The impact prompted strong responses outside of Australia.

British foreign secretary William Hague said the Egyptian ambassador to London would be summoned to the foreign office over the journalists' sentencing.

A photo of the back page of The New York Times - a blank page with the words "this is what happens when you silence journalists" - was also circulating Twitter.

Greste and his Al Jazeera colleagues Canadian-Egyptian Mohammed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohammed have been detained since December on accusations they aided the Muslim Brotherhood.


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