Egypt jails Al Jazeera journalists, US calls sentences 'chilling'

Al Jazeera journalists (L-R) Baher Mohamed, Peter Greste and Mohammed Fahmy stand behind bars in a court in Cairo June 1, 2014. TREUTERS/Asmaa Waguih

CAIRO (Reuters) - Three Al Jazeera journalists were jailed for seven years each by an Egyptian judge on Monday, in what Washington called "chilling, draconian sentences" that must be reversed.

Cairo defended the journalists' convictions - for aiding a "terrorist organisation" - and rejected the widespread condemnation as "interference in its internal affairs".