Cairo Criminal Court will resume on Wednesday the trial of 17 journalists in the case known as the "Mariott Cell", Al Bawaba News reported. The defendants face charges of joining an illegal organization seeking to destabilize the country, threatening security and social peace and broadcasting false news on Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite channel. Thee court is set to hear the defense witnesses. Security forces intensified their presence in the court's periphery to prevent any attempts at violence. In June, the court had sentenced six defendants to seven-year prison terms and 11 others to 10 years in absentia. Egypt's Cassation Court accepted the defendants' appeals and referred them to another judicial circuit for retrial. According to Egypt's Shorouk Newspaper, Egyptian business tycoon Naguib Sawiris will deliver his testimony during today's session. He reached the court early Wednesday amid intensive security measures.
