"Today's conviction is obviously a chilling and draconian sentence," Kerry told journalists on a surprise visit to the Iraqi capital.
He said he had "registered our serious displeasure" with Cairo, and described the sentence, which came a day after he visited Egypt, as "deeply disturbing.
An Egyptian court today sentenced three of the network's journalists to jail terms ranging from seven to 10 years, accusing them of aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood.