An Egyptian court sentences life imprisonment to journalist Hamza Zawbaa

The Supreme State Security Court in Egypt ruled a life sentence against the Egyptian journalist Hamza Zawbaa – residing outside the country – and 13 others, after the Public Prosecution referred them to criminal trial on charges of leading a terrorist group.

It also sentenced 3 others to 15 years in prison after accusing them of incitement against state institutions and spreading false news.

The Egyptian authorities had recently included the names of dozens of journalists on the list of terrorism, including 4 journalists from the Al-Jazeera network, namely Abd al-Rahman Hussein, Anas Zaki, Amr al-Qazzaz and Sameh Mustafa, according to an Egyptian court decision.

Human rights organizations condemned the decision to be included in the terrorism list, and demanded that the names of those listed be removed, describing the matter as “a new campaign to terrorize the political and human rights community,” as they put it.