By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
CAIRO, Egypt – While the interim government in Egypt has established a “roadmap” to democracy the military government has recently come under fire for the treatment of journalist reporting on the transition process and the brutal crackdown on Islamists organizations in the state. Al Jazeera has criticized the Egyptian government for failing to protect journalists and abuses of press freedom claiming that several members of its staff have been beaten, threatened and unlawfully subjected to police raids. Al Jazeera has also criticized the government for failing to protect journalists after one of its journalists was shot by a sniper while reporting last year. Additionally, Al Jazeera has condemned the state for detaining its journalists for several months without charge.
Four Al Jazeera journalists are currently being held in Egypt. Peter Greste, a former correspondent for the BBC, Mohamed Fahmy, a former CNN reporter, and, Baher Mohamed a local producer were taken into custody by Egyptian forces last December. Abdullah al-Shami, A Journalist for Al Jazeera Arabic, has been held without charge in Egypt since last August. Al-Shami has been on hunger strike in protest of his detention for more than two weeks.
The Al Jazeera network has reported that it has been served with a list of 20 individuals wanted by the Egyptian government in connection with the case it claims it has against Al Jazeera’s journalists. However, Aljazeera has stated than only nine of those named are actuality on its staff.
Claims made against the journalists include accusations that members of Al Jazeera’s staff have collaborated with terrorist by taking to members of the Muslim Brotherhood during the course of their reporting last year.
The Muslim Brotherhood, longed banned under the regime of Hosni Mubarak that came to power in Egypt after Mohamed Morsi became the first Democratically elected President in the nation’s history, has been under attack by the Egyptian government which has cracked down on its members and has once again declared the organization an illegal political party.
Responding to her inclusion on the list, Sue Turton, one of the Al Jazeera journalists included on the list, has said she was astonished that a warrant for her arrest has been issued in Egypt. Turton has worked as a television journalist for almost 25 years. She said, “I have no allegiance to any political group in Egypt or anywhere else and no desire to promote any one point of view.”
Several members of the international community including major news organization have spoken out against Egypt’s treatment of journalists, including the prolonged detention of the Al Jazeera reporters. UK based media outlets, TBBC, Sky and the Daily Telegraph newspaper have issued a joint call for the immediate release of all journalists currently being detained in Egypt.
The Obama Administration has condemned the Egyptian government for this violation of press freedom. White House Spokesperson Jay Carney expressed the United States’ “deep concern” about the arrests. In a statement Tuesday he said, “The restrictions on freedom of expression in Egypt are a concern, and that includes the targeting of Egyptian and foreign journalists and academics simply for expressing their views.”
Activists are using social media to get the word out about Egypt’s detention of journalist using the hashtag #FreeAJStaff. More than 40 journalists are currently being held in Egypt.
For more information please see:
Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera Staff Charged In Egypt Are Named – 05 February 2014
Al Jazeera – Timeline: Al Jazeera’s Challenges in Egypt – 05 February 2014
CNN International – 8 Al Jazeera Journalists Charged By Egyptian Authorities, Network Says – 05 February 2014
The Guardian – British Reporters Deny ‘Aiding Terrorists’ In Work For Al Jazeera In Egypt – 05 February 2014
Al Jazeera – #FreeAJStaff campaign: ‘What if all journalists were gagged?’ – 04 February 2014
BBC News – US Urges Egypt To Free Al-Jazeera Journalists – 04 February 2014
