An Egyptian court has sentenced the head of the journalists' union and two board members to two years in prison and fined $AUD860 for harbouring two wanted journalists.

In May, prosecutors ordered Yahia Qalash — the head of Egypt's Journalists Syndicate — and board members Khaled al-Balshy and Gamal Abdel Rahim be tried on charges of harbouring colleagues wanted by the law and spreading lies.

The charges relate to a police raid on the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate to arrest two opposition journalists, wanted over protests against the President's decision to transfer Egyptian sovereignty over two strategic Red Sea Islands to Saudi Arabia.

The raid infuriated journalists, who staged protests, demanded the interior minister's resignation, and a presidential apology.

Instead, Qalash and two others were detained and charged for giving shelter to two wanted men.

Saturday's verdict marks the first time for a head of the journalists syndicate to be put on trial since the union was founded 75 years ago.

"The case shouldn't have gone to court to begin with," Gamal Eid, a human rights lawyer and founder of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information, said.

"The decision is political … We are not talking here about law and the judiciary."

The three men can appeal the decision.

AP/ Reuters