Egypt ‘won’t interfere’ in AJ ruling

The elderly parents of Australian journalist Peter Greste say they are shattered by an Egyptian court's decision to jail him for seven years.

Long ordeal ... Australian journalist Peter Greste was arrested in December as part of a sweeping crackdown on Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi after the military overthrew him. Source: Supplied

EGYPT'S President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said he will not interfere in court rulings, a day after three Al-Jazeera journalists including Australian Peter Greste, were sentenced to seven years in prison, sparking an international outcry.

El-Sissi was speaking in a nationally televised speech during a military graduation ceremony tonight.

He said Egypt has an independent judiciary and urged people to stop commenting or criticising rulings by courts.

"We will not interfere in court verdicts," he said.

Al-Sisi said Egypt's authorities "will not interfere in judicial matters".

A government official told AFP Sisi cannot legally pardon the journalists until a final court ruling after an appeal.

The shocking news comes as Prime Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to keep lobbying Egypt's government to free jailed Greste.

The federal government today summoned a senior Egyptian diplomat to express outrage over the seven-year sentence handed to the Al Jazeera reporter in Cairo.

It was the latest diplomatic overture from the government to Egyptian authorities about the case, including from Mr Abbott who twice contacted the country's leadership to lobby for Mr Greste. "The Australian government will continue to make intercessions at every level with the Egyptian government and elsewhere to try and ensure that Peter Greste and his colleagues are swiftly released," the prime minister told parliament.

The Prime Minister said he failed to see how the Egyptian government's crackdown on extremist groups is helped by the "very harsh sentence".

With the Egyptian Ambassador Hassan El-Laithy in Cairo, First Secretary Sherif Bedeir Hussein was ordered to front DFAT officials. He said nothing arriving or leaving the department's headquarters.

PETER GRESTE'S PARENTS IN SHOCK

The parents of jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste have vowed to continue fighting for him and for the broader cause of press freedom, saying they are horrified at the thought of their son languishing in a harsh Egyptian prison.

An emotional Juris and Lois Greste today addressed the media in Brisbane, reiterating their message — the same echoed by the international community — that their son was "not a criminal".

The pair often held each other closely as they told of how they had endured a "very fragile" sleep since Mr Greste was sentenced to seven years in Egypt.

PETER GRESTE: What his future holds in an Egypt jail

Shattered ... Peter Greste's parents Juris & Lois were left devastated by the Egyptian court's decision. Picture: Liam Kidston. Source: News Corp Australia

The couple have slammed the sentence as a "slap in the face and a kick in the groin to Australia".

Mr Greste was accused of supporting the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood, despite no evidence being produced that he or his Al-Jazeera English colleagues were doing anything other than simply covering the situation in Egypt.

His parents today said they had barely slept and were having difficulty collecting their thoughts in the wake of the devastating verdict.

Mr Greste said he was "still in a state of shock", saying it was a "dark time", not only for their family, but also for journalism.

"We are devastated, shocked and dismayed at this finding," Mr Greste said.

"We are not usually a family of superlatives, but I have to say this morning my vocabulary fails to convey just how shattered we are.

"Of course we were hoping for something entirely different. Although we had considered a range of other outcomes, you can never prepare yourself for something as painful as this."

He said the family was adamant that the campaign for media freedom "must never end".

"We are absolutely determined and committed to continue this battle until Peter, as well as his colleagues are all out of prison and free to do and go wherever they decide," he said.

The pair said they were completely satisfied that the Australian Government had truly explored every possible avenue in the lead-up to the trial and sentence, but took aim at the verdict as a blow to the entire nation.

"We put it to you that it is also a slap in the face and a kick in the groin to Australia, as well as all fair-minded people around the world," he said.

Mrs Greste broke down as she told of how she believed her son would push through the dark days ahead, despite facing the prospect of remaining in a tough Egyptian jail.

"I know Peter as being very, very strong," she said.

"This will be a hard time for him but I know that he'll get through it and my Mike and Andrew are going in today and they'll support him and he'll be OK.

"But I can imagine that he's as shocked as we are and absolutely, probably, finding it very difficult at this point. But he'll get through that."

Peter Greste's parents react to his guilty verdict, given seven years in an Egyptian jail for reporting. Courtesy ABC News Australia

ABBOTT 'BEWILDERED' BY SENTENCE

The verdict — delivered by a judge to a packed courtroom in Cairo — has caused outrage around the world.

The Prime Minister earlier said the government would again push for Greste's release.

"We're obviously shocked, dismayed, really bewildered by the decision of the court in Egypt," the Prime Minister told reporters in Parliament House this morning.

Adding his voice to the chorus of those critical of the decision, Mr Abbott said his government will be talking to the reporter's family and the Egyptian government to see how they can free Mr Greste "as quickly as possible".

But he hasn't made any fresh representations to the new President since last night's decision.

The PM insisted he won't be engaging in "unhelpful megaphone diplomacy".

"That won't do Peter Greste any good. It won't do his two Al-Jazeera colleagues any good," he said.

"What we want to do is to talk calmly and patiently and reasonably to the Egyptian Government."

Mr Abbott said his understanding was that the country's court system works at "arm's length" from its government.

"But I do understand that once the court system has done its work then there are options for presidential acts, presidential clemency, presidential pardons and so on and that's why I'm not in the business of being critical of the Government as such."

The PM says he is bewildered by an Egyptian court's decision to jail Australian journalist Peter Greste.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she will try to intervene to help Greste while his family are "devastated" by his seven-year jail term in Egypt.

Ms Bishop said Greste was "caught up" in a politically motivated situation.

She said the government was providing consular report and were now waiting for the reasons for Greste's seven year jail sentence, which are yet to be published.

"It was a politically motivated situation in the first place when the military were taking over from the brotherhood and Peter Greste got caught up in reporting on that particular political scenario," she told Sky News.

"The reasons for the decision haven't yet been published but will be given in due course to Peter Greste's lawyers and we will have a much closer look at how or why this verdict was reached."

'Gutted' ... Peter Greste's brothers Andrew and Mick were in court to hear their brother's sentence. Picture: Khaled Desouki Source: AFP

She said the Australian ambassador in Cairo were keeping in constant contact with Peter Greste's brothers, who are currently in Egypt with the family "utterly devastated" at the verdict.

Ms Bishop said the government would continue to maintain close consular support with Peter Greste.

"There have been 13 hearings and yet the evidence has been so scant, we just can't understand it," she said.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop spoke of the governments shock and disbelief at the outcome of the trial of Peter Greste.

Ms Bishop said the Australian Government will talk to the new Egyptian Government to see if intervention is possible.

"The Australian government is shocked at the verdict in the Peter Greste case," Ms Bishop said.

"We are deeply dismayed by the fact that a sentence has been imposed and we are appalled by the severity of it.

"The Australian government cannot simply understand it based on the evidence that was presented.

"Peter Greste is a well respected Australian journalist. He was not there to support the Muslim Brotherhood.

"We are all shocked by this verdict and that includes the Prime Minister.

"We will initiate contact at the highest level."

Ms Bishop said she had spoken to Greste's family, and they were "devastated".

"They are devastated as you'd expect, they were hoping there'd be a positive outcome ... that was the hope they held," she said.

The White House has called on Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to pardon Greste and the two other Al Jazeera journalists.

"We call on the Egyptian government to pardon these individuals or commute their sentences so that they can be released immediately, and grant clemency for all politically motivated sentences," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest overnight.

The White House called for clemency after Secretary of State John Kerry — a day after visiting Cairo — called the verdicts handed down against the journalists as "chilling and draconian".

SQUALID, OVERCROWDED: Aussie's brutal life in Egyptian jail

Trying to help ... Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop holding a press conference on Peter Greste in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith Source: News Corp Australia

Desperate for freedom ... Al-Jazeera news channel's Australian journalist Peter Greste today, listening to the verdict inside the defendants cage. Picture: Khaled Desouki Source: AFP

She added they were still considering their legal options including an appeal, but they were not sure how long an appeal might take.

"They are also mindful of the fact there is a long appeal process ahead of them, but it's fair to say they are absolutely devastated by the verdict," she said.

Ms Bishop emphasised the Australian government would provide ongoing support to Greste and his family.

"We will provide all consular assistance possible to Peter Greste and his family," Ms Bishop said in Canberra.

When asked if the Australian government had done enough to help Greste, Ms Bishop said she made repeated calls and "cannot think of what more" they could have done.

"I cannot think of what more we could have done, we have made constant representations at the highest level of the Egyptian government," she said.

Australian journalist Peter Greste has been found guilty and has received a seven year jail sentence.

"This is a very complicated case. It is a very complicated situation."

Ms Bishop fears Greste was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"We are doing what we can to have this Australian journalist brought home as soon as possible." Egypt's ambassador to Australia is due to meet with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials on Tuesday, she said.

Labor MPs were also shocked by the sentence. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Labor would work with the government to try and secure Greste's release.

Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called the news "heartbreaking", while the minor party's leader Christine Milne urged Prime Minister Tony Abbott to take action with Egypt's government.

AL-JAZEERA SLAMS COURT DECISION

Al-Jazeera slammed the decision as "unjust".

"We condemn ... this kind of unjust verdict," the network's chief Mustafa Sawaq told the satellite news channel.

Greste and two other reporters working for Qatar-based Al-Jazeera English were among the 20 defendants in a trial that has triggered international outrage amid fears of growing media restrictions in Egypt.

The head of Al Jazeera English says the sentencing of three colleagues defies logic, sense and any semblance of justice.

Total disbelief ... Al-Jazeera news channel's Peter Greste and his colleagues, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fadel Fahmy (centre) and Egyptian Baher Mohamed (right), listen to the verdict today. Picture: Khaled Desouki Source: AFP

"Not a shred of evidence was found to support the extraordinary and false charges against them," managing director Al Anstey said in a statement.

"At no point during the long drawn out "trial" did the absurd allegations stand up to scrutiny.

"There were many moments during the hearings where in any other court of law, the trial would be thrown out. There were numerous irregularities in addition to the lack of evidence to stand up the ill-conceived allegations.

"There is only one sensible outcome now. For the verdict to be overturned, and justice to be recognised by Egypt.

"We must keep our voice loud to call for an end to their detention. Alongside us is a worldwide solidarity, a global call for their release, and a demand for basic freedoms to be respected."

Human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC weighed in on the outcry surrounding Greste's jail sentence, calling it an outrage. He called on the Australian government to act against Egypt under an international convention that guarantees freedom of expression.

"After Australia's success against Japan in the whaling case, we should be making more use of international legal avenues, and this is the only way in a world forum that Peter could be vindicated," he said in a statement.

GRESTE RAISES FISTS IN COURT AS BROTHERS 'GUTTED'

Greste's two brothers — Andy and Michael — were in the packed courtroom for the verdict.

His parents, Lois and Juris, watched the verdict live via social media and are devastated by the outcome, a family friend said.

"I haven't seen anything yet which outlines the reasoning," Andrew Greste told the ABC.

"It's very difficult to prepare for that. I don't know how you prepare for that.

"Regardless of whether you prepare yourself, the emotions are just devastated, I'm gutted. It's unbelievable." Andrew said he and Mike were not able to see their brother amid the chaotic scenes as he was whisked away from the mesh cage in which he was locked in the courtroom, but will visit him on Tuesday.

"(It's) obviously something that we're going to have to process and digest over the next day or two, but regardless of whether you prepare yourself the emotions still are just devastating," Mr Greste said.

"There was some pretty chaotic scenes, trying to sort of process the decision.

"The defendants are through a couple of sheets of expanded mesh, and they're probably 30-25m across the courtroom, and obviously the authorities were pretty keen to rush them out of court before, you know, that whole scene got even more chaotic."

Listening to the verdict ... Al-Jazeera news channel's Australian journalist Peter Greste inside the defendants cage during his trial for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood today at the police institute near Cairo's Tora prison. Picture: Khaled Desouki Source: AFP

"We're not going to give up the fight to get Peter released because we believe he's completely innocent, he's done nothing wrong. It's just going to be a matter of looking at all the options."

The journalist's family say they will not be formally speaking to the media until 10am AEST on Tuesday.

But a spokeswoman for the Greste family said they were devastated by the news. "I can't see how they (the family) can continue after this," Heidi Ross told the ABC.

"They will, of course, because they have to. We always knew it was possible but you just don't think it could possibly happen, especially as there was no concrete evidence against Peter.

"Peter was a correspondent there on a relief posting — he had been there for two weeks, he didn't speak Arabic. He was a correspondent ... merely doing his job."

The Australian journalist embraced his colleagues, Canadian-Egyptian acting Cairo bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed, in the moments before the verdict was read out.

Baher Mohammed, who also received an extra three years in prison on separate charges.

"I swear they will pay for this," Fahmy shouted angrily from the defendants' cage after the sentences were announced. Greste raised his fists in the air.

"They just ruined a family," said Fahmy's brother Adel, who was attending the session. He said they would appeal the verdict but added that he had little faith in the system. "Everything is corrupt," he said.

The trio were accused of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, which the authorities have declared a terrorist organisation, and "spreading false news".

Temperatures soared to 45 degrees in the packed room during the lengthy wait for the verdict.

Family members waved to the defendants who stood behind bars in the courtroom.

The case has caused an outcry, with rights groups saying the prosecution of the journalists was politicised and undermines freedom of expression in Egypt.

The three were arrested in December as part of a sweeping crackdown on Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.

Caged ... Peter Greste at an earlier court appearance in Cairo. Source: Supplied

JUST LEFT TO LANGUISH IN JAIL

Greste and his colleagues have been detained for nearly six months, along with six others.

Al-Jazeera says only nine of the 20 defendants are on its staff, including two foreign reporters who are abroad. A Dutch journalist, who is not working with the channel, is also among the defendants.

Nightmare ... Peter Greste's parents Lois and Juris with his brother Andrew. Picture: Annette Dew Source: News Corp Australia

Sixteen are Egyptians accused of belonging to the Brotherhood, which the military-installed government designated a "terrorist organisation" in December.

The four foreigners are also alleged to have collaborated with and assisted their Egyptian co-defendants by providing media material, as well as editing and broadcasting it.

The authorities also say the accused journalists were operating in Egypt without valid accreditation.

"On June 23, the entire world will be watching Egypt to see whether they uphold the values of press freedom," Al-Jazeera said.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry also called for freedom of the press to be upheld in Egypt as he made a surprise visit to Cairo.

WORLD LEADERS CONDEMN EGYPT'S DECISION

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague is summoning Egypt's ambassador over the prison sentences handed down to journalists working for Al-Jazeera, including Australian Peter Greste.

"I have instructed officials to summon the Egyptian Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today," Hague said in a statement.

A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "completely appalled" by the verdicts.

Two British journalists working for the network, Sue Turton and Dominic Kane, were among 11 defendants being tried in absentia out of 20 overall.

They were handed 10-year sentences.

The Netherlands has also summoned the Egyptian ambassador over Cairo's heavy sentencing and will raise the issue with the EU.

"I have summoned the Egyptian ambassador to the ministry and will raise this matter with my European Union colleagues in Luxembourg," Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said in a statement, adding that Dutch journalist Rena Netjes, who was tried in absentia, "did not get a fair trial".

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