Monday, June 30, 2014

Al Jazeera News Director: Prison Terms for Journalists in Egypt Are Chilling Start to Sisi Era

Democracy Now!

"It was six months ago Sunday when Egyptian authorities raided a hotel room in Cairo used by reporters at the global TV network Al Jazeera. The journalists Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were arrested December 29 and they have been held in jail ever since. Last week they were sentenced to between seven and 10 years in prison for allegedly "spreading false news" in support of the Muslim Brotherhood, deemed by the government a "terrorist group." The sentence has shocked journalists and supporters of press freedom around the world. And the Al Jazeera reporters are not alone. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Egypt is currently holding at least 11 other journalists in prison. We are joined by Salah Negm, director of news at Al Jazeera English. “We were reporting in Egypt objectively and accurately,” Negm says. “Throughout the trial there was not one piece of evidence against them of falsifying information or supporting any group that was which is outlawed. That was all false. The sentence came as a real shock.”......"

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