For the European Journalists Association (EJ) the conviction of the three Al Jazeera journalists by Egyptian courts is a blatant and brazen violation of press freedom. European Journalists President Paolo Magagnotti (Trento / I) said, “The judgments are based on trumped-up charges. The prosecutor could not provide any evidence. Very obvious is the assumption that the prosecutors have faked the alleged evidence. The whole course of the process mocks the criteria of due process of law. With this show trial in Cairo the last vestiges of freedom of the press in Egypt have been trampled in the dust. To make matters worse, that foreign journalists received heavy prison sentences in absentia. Overall, all judgments violate any form of justice. Not only the UK and the Netherlands, but the European Union must officially protest against those judgments. A military, or whatever type of cooperation with the Egyptian government can only take place if the leaders accept free media and end its repressive policies towards journalists. The three convicted colleagues deserve our full solidarity and support. “
–European Journalists Association (EJ)