An Egyptian court sentenced two journalists from Al-Ahram online news portal, on Sunday, to prison and a fine respectively for publishing false new about former Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zend.
Bulaq Abo el-Ela criminal court sentenced the reporter Ahmed Amer to one year in prison in absentia, while the chief editor of the state-owned paper's Arabic portal, Hisham Younes, was fined LE10,000.
Al-Ahram published a report in September 2014 stating that a piece of land owned by the Judges' Club in Port Said had been sold to a relative of Zend's wife below the market price.
Zend accused Amer and Younes of publishing false news, a lawsuit was filed and in January the defendants were referred to trial.
Both can still appeal the ruling, which, according to Al-Ahram's English portal, Younes intends to do.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
