Will al-Jazeera case shine new light on threat to Egyptian journalists?
Amira Galal
is a BBC Middle East Monitoring journalist
In January 2014 the Egyptian Press Syndicate issued a statement which strongly condemned the recent escalation of arrests and assaults against journalists, after a violent 25 January left more than a dozen journalists wounded or detained.
However this year the Press Syndicate has so far remained silent, even in the wake of international relief at the release of al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste, who had been detained in Egypt for more than a year, charged with "aiding a terrorist group" and "harming the national interest".
Greste and his colleague Mohamed Fahmy had been arrested during a police raid on Cairo's Marriott Hotel while on assignment in Egypt. Freelance producer Baher Mohamed (pictured above in detention with Greste) was later arrested at home.
On 26 January 2015, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said that it was “alarmed by the harassment and detention of journalists in Egypt” after documenting a series of attacks against journalists on the fourth anniversary of Egypt’s uprising.
The attacks included at least 11 cases of journalists being detained, a reporter being beaten by protesters, and two photographers injured by bird shot. The journalists had been covering rallies in which at least 20 people were killed during clashes with security officials, according to Human Rights Watch. CPJ ranked Egypt as the third-deadliest country for the press in 2013.
High-profile Egyptian journalist Shahira Amin said that such attacks had sent a “chilling message to other journalists, prompting many to practice self-censorship because of fear and intimidation” because there had been a “growing realisation among journalists that they may be next in line”.
While the release of Greste and upcoming deportation of Mohamed Fahmy to Canada may appear to be a step in the right direction, the “Egyptian-only” journalist Baher Mohamed remains in prison, raising obvious questions.
Former al-Jazeera correspondent Dina Samak said on Twitter: "So, Baher is the only one to be left in jail in al-Jazeera case simply because he is Egyptian and has no other nationality,” while journalist Mohamed Seif el-Dawla concluded: "So, the Australian nationality is the solution."
Egyptian journalist Hosam El-Sokkari launched the #FreeBaher campaign calling for his release after top television anchor Lamees al-Hadidi forgot Baher’s name while on air. El-Sokkari called for social media users to promote the campaign so that “people know who he is and so that his colleague, journalist Lamees al-Hadidi, remembers his name next time she discusses the case”.
Shahira Amin concluded: "I believe Peter Greste was released as a result of immense international pressure and persistent campaigning, so we need to keep up the pressure on the government to release his colleagues."
Speaking to BBC correspondent Orla Guerin at the weekend, former head of the Egyptian News Centre Abdel-Latif El Menawy agreed. In terms of international 'fall-out' from the al-Jazeera case, Egypt has been “paying a very high price for something that shouldn’t happen this way”, he said.
Peter Greste has spoken of his “incredible angst” at leaving his colleagues in jail and called on the international community to “keep the focus on them”.
CPJ’s 2014 prison census of more than 200 journalists detained worldwide includes 12 in Egypt. You can read their names here, but probably not in the mainstream international media.
Some commentators and campaigners see the targeting of journalists as just one part of a bigger crackdown on opposition voices in the country. It remains to be seen whether international condemnation of the treatment of the al-Jazeera colleagues shines any kind of light on the plight of less well-known local journalists behind bars or at risk of attack.
Jailing of al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt highlights need for new defences
Our other blogs by William Horsley on international threats to journalists
Journalists in danger: Symposium steps up pressure on safety
Our section on safety for journalists
