EGYPT: Journalists, including a representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, lambast the Egyptian government after the arrest of four staff members of the Al Jazeera English channel in Cairo
Record ID:
165689
EGYPT: Journalists, including a representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, lambast the Egyptian government after the arrest of four staff members of the Al Jazeera English channel in Cairo
- Title: EGYPT: Journalists, including a representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, lambast the Egyptian government after the arrest of four staff members of the Al Jazeera English channel in Cairo
- Date: 30th December 2013
- Summary: Clip 1: CAIRO, EGYPT (DECEMBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) CAIRO SKYLINE / MARRIOTT HOTEL MARRIOTT HOTEL SEEN FROM ACROSS RIVER NILE MARRIOTT SIGN IN ENGLISH MARRIOTT HOTEL NEXT TO BRIDGE MARRIOTT SIGN IN ARABIC MARRIOTT HOTEL SEEN FROM ACROSS RIVER Clip 2: COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REPRESENTATIVE, SHAIMAA ABOU EL KHEIR, SITTING IN OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REPRESENTATIVE, SHAIMAA ABOU EL KHEIR, SAYING: "We strongly condemn the arrests by the Egyptian authorities of the Al Jazeera channel employees. This proves and illustrates the continuation of the policy of arrests and raids by the interim government, that came to power in July, by targeting journalists and closing a large number of media outlets that the government considers are not representing the political or editorial line that should be followed according to the views of the Egyptian government." Clip 3: VARIOUS OF MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SUPPORTERS MARCHING IN DEMONSTRATION Clip 4: CAIRO, EGYPT (DECEMBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR, HISHAM KASSIM, SITTING IN OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR, HISHAM KASSIM, SAYING: "In spite of the fact that Jazeera has vulgarised its track record and has become partisan and part of the ongoing struggle in Egypt right now, they're siding with the Muslim Brotherhood, however the state is not justified in what happened today or in any of the harassment that has happened to this station recently. I really don't think the state is in a position to play guardian over me, and they should allow me to access Jazeera and decide for myself." Clip 5: CAIRO, EGYPT (RECENT - DECEMBER 11, 2013) (REUTERS) GATES TO POLICE ACADEMY MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD LEADERS IN CAGE IN COURTROOM (MOHAMED BADIE FRONT LEFT) BROTHERHOOD SUPPORTERS IN COURT RAISING FOUR FINGER GESTURE IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS CAIRO, EGYPT (RECENT - DECEMBER 8, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LIBERAL ACTIVISTS AHMED MAHER (LEFT) AND AHMED DOUMA (RIGHT) IN CAGE IN COURTROOM DOUMA IN CAGE Clip 6: CAIRO, EGYPT (DECEMBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR, HISHAM KASSIM, SITTING IN OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR, HISHAM KASSIM, SAYING: ''OK, the big problem here is that there is a certain mindset that should have disappeared after the uprising against Mubarak, and yet it still continues. The idea that you can censor media and that it is in the interests of the state, you see, and we're seeing this happen recently and it basically has to stop. One, it's futile, it's not holding back information, and it's very damaging for the image of the state. If we look at the situation where we have been declared as one of the ten countries that imprison journalists.'' Clip 7: CAIRO, EGYPT (DECEMBER 1, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SUPPORTERS DEMONSTRATING IN TAHRIR SQUARE, WAVING FLAG DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING EGYPTIAN FLAG VARIOUS OF TANKS DRIVING THROUGH SQUARE VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS RUNNING THROUGH TEARGAS IN SQUARE SECURITY VEHICLES DRIVING PAST TEARGAS IN SQUARE Details Journalists including a representative from the Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday (December 30) condemned the Egyptian government's arrest of four journalists working for the Al Jazeera English news channel. Egyptian nationals Mohamed Fawzy and Baher Mohamed, Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Australian national Peter Greste were all arrested on Monday, three of them at the Marriott Hotel in the Zamalek area of the capital Cairo. The Interior Ministry accused the Qatar-based channel of broadcasting illegally from a hotel suite with a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was declared a terrorist group last week. Al Jazeera's offices in Cairo have been closed since July 3 when they were raided by security forces hours after the army ousted the Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi from the presidency. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Monday classified Egypt alongside Syria and Iraq as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists to operate in. The CPJ's Middle East And North Africa Representative, Shaimaa Abou El Kheir, told Reuters Television her organisation was concerned by the military-backed interim government policy towards journalists. "We strongly condemn the arrests by the Egyptian authorities of the Al Jazeera channel employees," she said. "This proves and illustrates the continuation of the policy of arrests and raids by the interim government, that came to power in July, by targeting journalists and closing a large number of media outlets that the government considers are not representing the political or editorial line that should be followed according to the views of the Egyptian government," she added. The Interior Ministry said the Al Jazeera staff had made live broadcasts of news that harmed homeland security and spread rumours, adding that the channel was broadcasting without the necessary permits. Equipment was reportedly seized, including broadcast transmitters. Since the military overthrow of Mursi in July there have been almost daily demonstrations by Muslim Brotherhood supporters calling for his reinstatement. Qatar-based Al Jazeera has been accused of bias in its reporting, in favour of the Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar was a strong financial backer of the Brotherhood's rule and its relationship with Cairo has deteriorated in recent months as it vehemently opposes the army's overthrow of Mursi and the crackdown on his movement that has followed. Referring to the closure of Al Jazeera's Cairo offices in July, journalist and commentator Hisham Kassim told Reuters Television he was critical of the channel's reporting but drew the line at arrests. "In spite of the fact that Jazeera has vulgarised its track record and has become partisan and part of the ongoing struggle in Egypt right now, they're siding with the Muslim Brotherhood, however the state is not justified in what happened today or in any of the harassment that has happened to this station recently," he said. "I really don't think the state is in a position to play guardian over me, and they should allow me to access Jazeera and the site for myself," he added. Following the overthrow of Mursi, all leaders of the Brotherhood are in custody or have left Egypt. The Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie appeared in court with co-defendants on December 11 charged with inciting the killing of protesters. Mursi himself faces three sets of charges including terrorism and conspiring with Hamas. The authorities have also arrested several high profile liberal activists in recent weeks, under a new law restricting the right to protest. Ahmed Maher and Ahmed Douma were the first to face charges under the new law. Kassim said the state's approach to press and media freedom has not changed since former president Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in 2011. "The big problem here is that there is a certain mindset that should have disappeared after the uprising against Mubarak, and yet it still continues," he said. "The idea that you can censor media and that it is in the interests of the state, you see, and we're seeing this happen recently and it basically has to stop," he added. "One, it's futile, it's not holding back information, and it's very damaging for the image of the state. If we look at the situation where we have been declared as one of the ten countries that imprison journalists.," Kassim told Reuters Television. Brotherhood supporters have kept up calls for Mursi's reinstatement but the military has not allowed any demonstrations to become sit-ins, like those established in summer in Rabaa and El Nahda squares, which were violently disbanded by the security forces in August resulting in the deaths of hundreds of protesters. A march to Tahrir Square, the focal point of the 2011 uprising, on December 1 was quickly dispersed using teargas. The Egyptian government increased its pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood since December 25 when it officially designated it a terrorist organisation.
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