Two Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to death

Two Al Jazeera journalists have been sentenced to death by an Egyptian court on charges of espionage, an accusation Al Jazeera has denied.

Another journalist, Asmaa Mohamed al-Khatib, who worked for a news outlet friendly to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, was also sentenced to death.

Three other persons were also handed the same sentence on an allegation of selling state secrets to Qatar.

Alaa Omar Mohamed Sablan and Ibrahim Helal, both who work for Al Jazeera were sentenced in absentia.

The sentence would be examined by Egypt’s Grand Mufti – the country’s highest legal authority – and may be confirmed or reduced in June.