The Cairo Criminal Court adjourned Thursday the retrial for the "Marriott cell" case to February 23, and decided to set free all the defendants including the detained Al Jazeera journalists. All the defendants were released on their own recognizance on condition they do not leave their place of residence except AJ journalist Mohamed Fahmy who was released on a EGP 250,000 bail. Al Jazeera journalists Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were charged last year of spreading false news to help a terrorist group, namely the Muslim Brotherhood. The defendants were sentenced in June to seven years, with Baher Mohamed receiving an additional three years. An appeals court ordered the retrial of the case, the previous court's verdict lacking evidence. President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi has issued a decision law that allows for the deportation of foreigners charged or convicted of security offenses, consequently Greste, a Latvian-Australian, was deported to Cyprus on February 1.
