AN EGYPTIAN court sentenced three al-Jazeera journalists to seven years in prison on terrorism-related charges today.

Baher Mohammed, the team’s producer, received an extra three years for possession of ammunition, a charge concerning a souvenir spent shell found in his possession.

The judgment stunned their families and was quickly denounced as a blow to freedom of expression.

The verdicts against Australian Peter Greste, Canadian-Egyptian Mohammed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohammed came after a five-month trial that Amnesty International described as a “sham,” calling the rulings “a dark day for media freedom in Egypt.”

Mr Fahmy’s brother said the journalists would appeal but added that he had little faith in the system.

Mr Greste’s brother Andrew said he was “gutted” and also vowed to appeal.

Australian Foreign Minister Julia Bishop said: “we are all shocked by this verdict.”

She added the government would contact Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and ask him to intervene.

There were 14 other co-defendants in the case.

Eight people tried in absentia received 10-year prison sentences and two were acquitted, including the son of Mohammed Beltagy, a senior figure in the Muslim Brotherhood.

During the trial, prosecutors contended they would present fabricated footage aired by the defendants but they submitted little evidence. Instead they showed footage of clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and police without any indication it was falsified.

They also cited leaflets the three had picked up at the protests.

“The only reason these three are in jail is because the authorities don’t like what they had to say,” said Amnesty International observer Philip Luther.

The prosecution “failed to produce a single shred of solid evidence linking the journalists to a terrorism organisation or proving they had falsified news footage,” he added.

“Consigning these men to years in prison after such a farcical spectacle is a travesty of justice.”

“The Egyptian judiciary has proved time and time again that it is either unwilling or incapable of conducting an impartial and fair trial when it comes to those perceived to support the former president.”