[JURIST] The Cairo Criminal Court on Saturday upheld the death sentences of six defendants, including three journalists, charged with espionage for leaking state secrets to Qatar. While the defendants were originally sentenced to death in May [JURIST report], the Egyptian court was required to seek advice from Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam before finalizing its ruling. Though former president Mohamed Morsi [BBC backgrounder] and two of his aides were among the 11 defendants originally tried in the espionage case, they only received [Al Jazeera report] a 25-year jail sentence. Morsi has also received a 15-year jail sentence for a lesser crime and still faces the death penalty on other counts. The court ruling has been a topic of much contention, particularly for its judgment upon the three journalist defendants employed by Al Jazeera [official website]. Defendant Ibrahim Helal, a former director of Al Jazeera’s Arabic channel, called the trial a sham and accused the court of making a politically biased decision based on fabricated and loose evidence. Human rights groups have denounced the ruling and have criticized Egypt’s ongoing crackdown on the freedom of press. Qatar has also criticized the ruling, warning that it may endanger foreign relations. The defendants will have a chance to appeal the espionage case to Egypt’s Court of Cessation for further review.

Egypt [BBC profile] has been internationally scrutinized in recent months over allegations of human rights infringements and free speech violations. Earlier this month, a Cairo appeals court acquitted [JURIST report] 33 protesters previously sentenced to two years in prison for being involved in a large public demonstration. Also this month, an Egyptian court began the trial [JURIST report] of a journalist union leader as well as two board members who were charged with spreading false news and harboring wanted reporters. Last month more than 100 Egyptian demonstrators were convicted [JURIST report] for peacefully assembling without a permit. Three UN rights experts recently urged [JURIST report] the Egyptian government to end its oppressive response towards human rights advocates in the country. In early May an Egyptian court sentenced [JURIST report] six people, including three journalists, to death for allegedly leaking state secrets to Qatar. Last month Egypt’s Court of Cassation overturned the five-year prison sentences of 35 Al-Azhar students, ordering a retrial [JURIST report]. Earlier in April three UN human rights experts urged Egypt to cease [JURIST report] its ongoing crackdown on humans rights defenders and organizations.