Sydney, June 30 (IANS): A group of Australian journalists delivered a statement to Egypt's consulate in Sydney Monday demanding the release of jailed Australian reporter Peter Greste and his Al Jazeera colleagues.
Last week, three Al Jazeera reporters, including an Australian national, were jailed for up to seven years after being found guilty of spreading false news and supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood, Xinhua reported.
The delegation of journalists handed Egyptian Vice Consul Ahmed Farid the statement signed by more than 100 news organisations and non-government organisations around the world. It also included more than 150,000 signatures from the public.
Ten Network TV journalist Hugh Riminton was among those who met with Farid and said there was some hope in the discussions.
"He says that he understands and he wants us to understand that this is just a process, that there are appeal processes that are still to come," Riminton was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
"He didn't want to judge what those appeal processes might result in but he did say that he feels sure that Peter Greste and the other journalists, this is a direct quote, 'will get the just treatment that they deserve'," Riminton added.
The statement was being presented at several Egyptian diplomatic missions around the world Monday.