EGYPT-JAZEERA/CLOONEY Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney calls for Harper to intervene in Al Jazeera journalist's case

Record ID: 140580

  • Title: EGYPT-JAZEERA/CLOONEY Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney calls for Harper to intervene in Al Jazeera journalist's case
  • Date: 31st August 2015
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (AUGUST 29, 2015) (REUTERS) MOHAMED FAHMY SEATED NEXT TO HIS WIFE MARWA OMAR AND HIS LAWYER AMAL CLOONEY (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOURNALIST AND DEFENDANT, MOHAMED FAHMY, SAYING: "We hope that today's outcome is positive as I said and if it's not, we know you're out here fighting for us until justice prevails, thank you." VARIOUS OF FAHMY GREETING HIS WIFE AND LAWYER AND LEAVING PEOPLE SEATED AT COURT JUDGE HASSAN FARID READING THE VERDICT
  • Embargoed: 15th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA85O6TRG8U7UBDXVGFMOY70XC5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The high-profile lawyer for detained Al Jazeera journalist and Canadian citizen Mohamed Fahmy, is calling on Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to personally intervene in the case.
    Speaking to CBC in Cairo on Sunday (August 30), human rights attorney Amal Clooney said she got "exemplary" support from the Canadians on the ground but said she believes more can be done.
    "What needs to happen now, in my view, is very high-level engagement by the government of Canada and that means Prime Minister Harper engaging directly with President Sisi," she said. "If I were a Canadian citizen, I would want to see my prime minister now showing leadership on the global stage."
    The Canadian government has formally applied to Egyptian authorities for the pardon and deportation of Fahmy.
    Fahmy was sentenced to three years in prison on Saturday (August 30), along with his Al Jazeera colleagues Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste.
    Greste was deported to his native Australia earlier this year.
    The trio faced widely denounced terror charges and had spent more than a year in prison before a successful appeal of an earlier conviction resulted in the re-trial that culminated in Saturday's verdict.
    In his ruling, Judge Hassan Farid said he sentenced the men to prison because they had not registered with the country's journalist syndicate. He also said the men brought in equipment without the approval of security officials, had broadcast "false news" on Al-Jazeera and used a hotel as a broadcasting point without permission.
    Clooney said it was an extremely urgent situation.
    "This is the most high-profile case of a Canadian abroad being imprisoned on sham charges," Clooney said. "It's a dangerous precedent being set. It's a journalist who's going to prison for no reason."
    The 41-year-old Fahmy's troubles began in December 2013 when he was working as the Cairo bureau chief for Qatar-based satellite news broadcaster Al Jazeera English.
    He, Greste and Mohamed were abruptly arrested and charged with a slew of offences, including supporting the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, a banned organization affiliated with ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, and with fabricating footage to undermine the country's national security.
    But Clooney says Fahmy has been a "very outspoken critic" of the Muslim Brotherhood, and that puts him at risk behind bars.
    "At the moment in Egypt there are many people in prison who are from that group and, therefore, his physical safety may be in danger," she said.
    She also said she's concerned about Fahmy's health in jail. He has hepatitis C and needs surgery for a shoulder injury, Clooney said.
    Neither she nor his family have spoken to Fahmy since the verdict came down, she said.
    "The family was told they wouldn't be able to see him for 30 days, but I know that the Canadian Embassy has put in a request today for permission to see him earlier than that, so we're very much hoping that that's possible," she said.
    Clooney says she is pursuing two possible avenues: having Fahmy pardoned or having him deported to Canada.
    Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has spoken out against the case, has said he would pardon Fahmy. But he also said he cannot step in while the court process is ongoing, Clooney said.
    Alternatively, she said, Fahmy could get the same treatment as Greste, who was deported to his native Australia in February.
    Al Jazeera has also said it will appeal the verdict once the court releases its full ruling in the next 30 days.
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