CPJ promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.
“CPJ is shocked by harsh sentences against Aljazeera journalists in Egypt’s AJTrial. Their convictions should be overturned immediately”
– The Committee to Protect Journalists
Abdullah Elshamy, Egypt correspondent for Al Jazeera, after being in jail for 281 days.
photo credit: aljazeera
“All I think about is how to stress the plight of many local journalists detained in Egypt who have not receive a fraction of the attention I’m getting. A key part of our defense has been to convince the judge of our professional integrity; to prove to him that we are journalists striving for the truth; and not agents of terror.”
– Jailed Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy upon receiving the World Press Freedom Award from The Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom Award.
At the Al Jazeera trial in Egypt.
A man opens a detainee’s cage door wearing a t-shirt that reads: “Death is not the worst thing that can happen to a man.”
(photo credit: @sueturtonaje)
Al Jazeera journalists were refused bail in Egypt.
“If the Egyptian government is serious about organizing free and fair presidential elections, it must end this campaign against the press and release all journalists in jail,” said Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. “You cannot have a free election without a free press and independent news coverage.”
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Egypt detains more journalists as elections approach