EGYPT:An Egyptian court sentenced al-Jazeera producer Huweida Taha Metwalli to six months in jail or a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,760) yesterday for her part in producing a feature on torture by Egyptian police.
Metwalli was arrested in January while the Qatar-based Arabic television channel was collecting material for the feature, including recordings of real torture incidents and reconstructed torture scenes using actors.
She was charged with damaging the country's supreme interests and possessing fabricated video material which would damage Egypt's reputation, with intent to broadcast it.
"The scenes included acted scenes which are at variance with reality . . . and recorded conversations which include slander against the police and their integrity," the court said in its ruling.
Released earlier on bail, Metwalli is in Qatar and did not attend the trial. The al-Jazeera office in Cairo said that she would appeal the verdict and the sentence.
The independent Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights called the sentence a "new setback for freedom of opinion" and a "serious violation . . . of the constitution". - (Reuters)