DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar has condemned Egypt’s sentencing to death of six people, including two Al-Jazeera employees, for allegedly passing documents related to national security to Qatar and the Doha-based TV network during the rule of President Mohammed Morsi.
Saturday’s verdicts, which can be appealed, have further enflamed tensions between the two countries. Qatar was a major backer of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood group before he was overthrown by the military in July 2013. Egypt now considers the Brotherhood a terrorist group.
In a statement on Qatar’s state news agency late Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said the verdict contains misleading claims about Qatar and lacks a “proper sense of justice.”
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry fired back, accusing Qatar of backing “hostile” media outlets.
