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The Ìýon Monday condemned the sentencing of Ahmed Taha to 15 years in prison, calling it an "unjustified" and "irrational" verdict.

Taha, a presenter forÌýAl Jazeera Mubasher, was sentenced in absentia after his name was included in a case forÌý.

Egypt frequently refers to non-government sanctioned media and critical news reports as "false news".

The pan-Arab network stated that Taha’s sentencing is part of "an ongoing campaign" launched by the Egyptian authorities against .

"Moreover, this verdict is an attempt to criminalise the profession of journalism that is protected by international laws put in place to facilitate the difficult and oftentimes dangerous work of journalists to convey news impartially and professionally," the statement added.

Four other Al Jazeera Mubasher ;ÌýHisham Abdel Aziz, Bahaa El-Din Ibrahim, Ahmed Al-Najdi and Rabie Al-Sheikh remain detained without charge.

The emergency court in Cairo on Sunday accused the presenter of conducting a February 2018 television interview with , a former presidential candidate who had previously been a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood.

Abul Fetouh, who went on to head the "Strong Egypt" party following his departure from the Muslim Brotherhood, was also sentenced to 15 years in prison on Sunday alongside the Brotherhood's acting leader , among others.

The two leaders were imprisoned for "disseminating false news" and "incitement against state institutions".

Egypt has long been criticised by rights groups forÌý, including members of the Muslim Brotherhood, often on trumped-up charges of terrorism.

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Accused of conducting a press interview!. Egyptian court sentences the prominent presenter Ahmed Taha to 15 years in prison and Al Jazeera condemns what it considered the Egyptian authorities' pursuit of its journalists

— حاتم المدني Hatim Elmadani (@HatimElmadani)

The Egyptian government also regularly imprisons journalists. Earlier this month, were reported to be behind bars, according to the Egyptian Network for Human Rights.

Egypt worldwide for press freedom, featuring in the bottom 20 out of 180 countries, according to Reporters Without Borders.