The Cairo Criminal Court set 6 January to issue a verdict pertaining to Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed Abdullah, in a retrial of the “Marriot Cell” case.
Abdullah is facing several charges, including belonging to an outlawed group, violating the privacy of citizens, and harming national unity.
Defence lawyer Shaaban Al-Sayed said he called for the charges to be dropped, saying they were not fully investigated and there is no proof of Abdullah’s involvement.
The case, widely known in media as the “Marriot Cell” case, included 20 defendants accused of gathering at the Marriot Hotel and propagating videos with false news to harm the country’s national security.
Reporters Without Borders condemned the arrest of the journalists and considered it an explicit violation of the freedom of expression in Egypt.
