Egypt's top court began hearing an appeal by three jailed Al-Jazeera journalists Thursday as hopes for their release grew amid thawing relations between Cairo and Qatar, where the television is based.
Journalists waiting in the courthouse were not immediately allowed into the hearing but court officials said the session was under way.
Australian Peter Greste, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohamed of the broadcaster's English service were jailed last December in a case that triggered global outrage.