Egyptian defence meets international outrage on Al Jazeera sentences
By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
Cairo (dpa) – Egyptian media on Tuesday condemned international outrage over seven-year sentences handed to three Al Jazeera International journalists, including one prominent television host who charged that working for the broadcaster was tantamount to belonging to a terrorist group.
“Al Jazeera - and its employees - is just like any website for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or al-Qaeda,” Ibrahim Eissa said during his television show that aired late Monday. "Can we consider those who make a few speeches on these websites as journalists? ... No. We cannot by any means consider this seditious forger, misleading broadcaster as media.”
He said the sentences were not an attack on press freedom, as charged by other countries, human rights and media groups, while TV presenter Ahmed Moussa denied international accusations that Monday's sentences were politically motivated.
Moussa addressed foreign governments, saying, "Democracy, which you do not understand, means separation of powers, so the president and the government do not interfere in the judges' work and vice versa. I tell you, Egypt will not bow to any threats."
In contrast, hundreds of journalists across the world carried placards reading “Journalism is not a crime” and held a minute of silence Tuesday morning to protest the sentences against Egyptian-Canadian Mohammed Fahmy, Al Jazeera's Cairo bureau chief; Australian journalist Peter Greste; and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed.
They were convicted of providing material support to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt's government has labelled a terrorist group, and "producing fabricated coverage of events in Egypt."
A group of Egyptian rights groups called the verdicts a "violation of law and fair trial procedures" because the prosecution failed to prove its case. They said they were the harshest sentences handed down by "Egypt's courts against journalists for doing their job."
The sentences were issued amid a crackdown by Egyptian authorities against Al Jazeera, which began last year after the military's ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, who had been a member of the Brotherhood. The government and its supporters accuse the Doha-based broadcaster of being biased in favour of the Brotherhood.
The crackdown was also launched as relations between Cairo and Doha, the only Gulf backer of Morsi, have deteriorated since he was deposed.
Local newspapers tried to tone down reports on the ruling with the official al-Akhbar newspaper presenting it as part of a series of trials for Brotherhood members.
The privately owned al-Shorouk ran the ruling as a top story on its front page with a headline reading, "Strict rulings pursue the Brotherhood."
Another private daily, Al-Masry Al-Youm, wrote, "Al Jazeera journalists sentences: international anger and Egyptian calmness."
Press freedom organizations and foreign governments reacted with outrage, and several European countries called in Egyptian envoys to protest the verdict.
"Egypt cannot be allowed to normalize its international relationships so long as it continues to jail journalists," wrote Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
But Eissa described the international criticism of the verdicts as part of “a big media game to distort Egypt’s [image]."
Eissa - a fierce supporter of Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who was the army chief when the military ousted Morsi and succeeded Morsi as president this month - insisted the verdict “has nothing to do with press freedom.” To back up his argument, he pointed to the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice newspaper, which was allowed to operate until the Islamist group was declared a terrorist group in December.
“Was there anyone put on trial or even summoned for investigation because of publishing any article in these newspapers, which contained horrible insults and treason accusations?" he asked. "Absolutely not.”
Another TV host, Amr Adib, also supported the verdicts but warned they could affect Egypt’s foreign relations and scare off potential investors.
"There is high price we are paying abroad now," he said. "... Take care. It is not easy or simple. English or Australian investors will tell us, 'You've jailed our journalists. I will not invest in your country.'"
