CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian-Canadian journalist working for Al-Jazeera English told an Egyptian court Wednesday that he could “never possibly betray his country,” testifying in a case accusing him and other colleagues of being terrorists.

Mohamed Fahmy, Al-Jazeera English’s acting Egypt bureau chief, addressed the court, saying he works as a journalist and is from a conservative and patriotic family in Port Said. He appeared with his arm in a sling and asked for the court to release him for treatment for the injury, which he said he suffered before being arrested.