[3] On June 23, 2014, after a four-month trial, all three were found guilty and were sentenced to between 7 and 10 years of imprisonment, triggering harsh criticism from various governments and human rights organizations.

[7] On 29 January 2014, it emerged that the Egyptian authorities were to charge 20 journalists belonging to Al Jazeera, including Greste, of falsifying news and having a negative impact on overseas perceptions of the country.

[10] The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the authorities in Egypt to "promptly release" the Al Jazeera staff.

[14] The investigation states that he prepared a "media center" in the hotel where he held meetings with Muslim Brotherhood leaders and recruited students to gather news.

[15] But Fahmy testified in court that he was personally a liberal who marched as a private citizen in protests to support President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi against the Muslim Brotherhood.

[16] Prominent Egyptian figures like Amr Moussa, the former head of the Arab League, and telecommunication mogul and billionaire Naguib Sawiris attested to Fahmy's integrity in court and confirmed he has no affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood.

[17][18] Egyptian scientist Farouk El-Baz who worked on the United States space program also supported Fahmy in a letter submitted to the judge.

[19] Mohamed Fahmy's international lawyer Amal Clooney, hired in his own capacity and not through Al Jazeera Media Network, called the judicial process a "show-trial" in her Huffington Post Article "The Anatomy of an Unfair Trial".

US Secretary of State John Kerry was highly critical of the sentences of Greste and his co-workers, terming them "chilling and draconian" and noted that he had spoken to Egyptian governmental officials including President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

The presidential decree that allows the deportation of foreigners stipulates that they face prison or trial in their home country, but Australia is unlikely to uphold Greste's conviction.

[36] On September 23, 2015, Fahmy and Mohamed were released from prison after Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi issued a pardon on 100 activists including the Al Jazeera journalists, which was announced on his Facebook page.