Al Jazeera Journalist Released From Egyptian Prison, Two Others Remain
According to Wadah Khanfar, writing for theguardian.com, Peter Greste, journalist for al-Jazeera, was released from an Egyptian prison after 400 days. Khanfar and his two fellow journalist were arrested due to the lack of freedom of press in Egypt under dictator Hosni Mubarak. Despite the fact that Khanfar was released, his two fellow journalists are still being detained in the Egyptian prison. Mohamed Fahmy, one of the two detainees, has been asked to revoke his Egyptian citizenship because he has dual nationality in Canada, and will make is easier to be deported. The court has discriminated against Baher Mohamed, the third journalist, because he was given three extra years more than the other two journalists, making him imprisoned for ten years, rather than seven.
“They were arrested while conducting their professional duties, but the court imprisoned them for allegedly spreading lies and distorted the image of Egypt.”
Under Egypt’s dictatorship, there is no freedom of press, making it very difficult for journalists to report on any news. Egyptian citizens are fearful of their dictator and have no voice to help detained journalists be set free. These men were doing their jobs and it’s saddening to see that journalists may be jailed or killed for reporting the news.
BBC.com reports that there are campaigns running to urge the release of the other two journalists. Greste spoke with a fellow journalist on the phone while he waited at Cairo's airport for departure. Sue Turton, an Al Jazeera journalist who was also charged 10 years in an Egyptian prison, explained Greste was of course excited, but after his excitement the seriousness set in.
"She said one of her colleagues managed to talk to Mr Greste on the phone as he waited at a departure lounge at Cairo's airport. She said "he was joking, and obviously he's elated. But his second sentence straight after that elation was - we've still got to get the other two out"."
Although the fate of these two journalists is unclear, the hope for their return is still kept alive. The campaigns continue to pull in, and will hopefully make a difference.
