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Egypt Charges 20 al Jazeera Journalists With Aiding Terrorists

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Wed Jan 29, 2014 at 12:20:16 PM EST
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20 journalists who work for the al-Jazeera news organization have been charged in Egypt with aiding terrorism and/or joining a terrorist group. Among them are at least three who work for the al Jazeera English network, including "acting bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy, a Canadian-Egyptian, award-winning correspondent Peter Greste of Australia and producer Baher Mohamed, an Egyptian."

The Egyptian journalists are charged with joining a terrorist group, while the foreign journalists are charged with aiding a terrorist group.Egypt enacted the law under which they are charged last month. The three mentioned above were arrested on Dec. 29 and remain in custody. [More...]

The 20 journalists were accused of setting up a media network that used two suites in a luxury hotel in Cairo as a media center.

The statement said the defendants “manipulated pictures” to create “unreal scenes to give the impression to the outside world that there is a civil war that threatens to bring down the state” and broadcast scenes to aid “the terrorist group in achieving its goals and influencing the public opinion.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdelattie insists the journalists will receive due process in the courts. I doubt anyone outside of Egypt believes him.

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    Egypt Charges 20 al Jazeera Journalists With Aiding Terrorists | 16 comments (16 topical)

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    Sounds very dodgy... (5.00 / 2) (#4)
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