A reporter for the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in prison and a LE10,000 fine.

Abdel-Rahman Shahin, arrested last April in Suez, was accused of torching police stations, vandalising public property, attempting to topple the regime and joining an outlawed group, a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The defendant was reportedly expelled from Al-Azhar University before the popular revolt in 2011 on accusations that he had formed an on-campus militia. He was later involved in attacks after Mohamed Morsi's ouster a year ago, according to state-owned news agency MENA.

Shahin also worked for the Freedom and Justice newspaper and the TV channel Egypt 25, both affiliated with the Brotherhood.

The newspaper was banned after the Brotherhood was designated a terrorist group by Egyptian officials in December, while the TV channel was taken off the air shortly after the announcement of Morsi's ouster in July 2013.

On Tuesday, two Al Jazeera journalists, Australian Peter Greste and Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, were sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of "spreading false news," falsely portraying Egypt as being in a state of "civil war," as well as aiding or joining the Brotherhood, while Al Jazeera producer Baher Mohamed was handed two jail terms amounting to 10 years.

Eleven co-defendants, tried in absentia on similar charges, received 10-year terms each, while two others were acquitted.

The verdict received worldwide condemnation. US Secretary of State John Kerry described the sentences as "chilling and draconian", while UN human rights chief Navi Pillay accused Egypt of "crushing the media".