Skip to main content

Attack on Media Freedom; Egypt Sentences Aljazeera Journalist to 15 Years in Prison for Interviewing Opposition Politician Abdul Moneim in 2018.



Al Jazeera Media Network presenter Ahmed Taha has denounced as “lacking logic” the decision by an Egyptian court to sentence him to 15 years in jail in absentia.

Taha said the ruling is “shameful” for those who issued it, not for himself and fellow journalists.

end of list“This sentence is not against me; it’s against Al Jazeera Network, against press freedom and journalists in Egypt,” Taha told Al Jazeera in a TV interview on Tuesday.

An Egyptian court had sentenced Taha to 15 years in jail for “spreading false news” over a 2018 interview with Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a leading opposition figure and former presidential candidate.

Al Jazeera had also condemned what it called the “irrational verdict”, describing it as an “attempt to criminalise the profession of journalism”.

“The Network asserts that the Cairo Criminal Court’s decision represents yet another disgrace for the legal and judiciary system in Egypt and that the decision has no legal foundation,” Al Jazeera said in a statement.

Al Jazeera also renewed the call for releasing four of its journalists who have been imprisoned in Egypt.

“Al Jazeera Media Network also reiterates its demand for the release of the four Al Jazeera Mubasher journalists, who are currently detained in Egypt without any charges (Hisham Abdel Aziz, Bahaa El-Din Ibrahim, Ahmed Al-Najdi and Rabie Al-Sheikh),” it said.

“It calls on all international press freedom organizations to condemn their arbitrary detention and demands their immediate release.”

It added that the ruling against Taha is part of an “ongoing campaign launched by the Egyptian authorities against Al Jazeera and its journalists”.

Al Jazeera building / Al Jazeera Logo [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Al Jazeera Media Network says sentence against Ahmed Taha ‘has no legal foundation’ [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

A defiant Taha promised to continue to do his work, saying that he would interview Aboul Fotouh again if asked as part of his job. Aboul Fotouh himself was sentenced to 15 years in jail this week over accusations of plotting against the state.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

UGANDA ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO ELIMINATE NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS (IDs) FOR 2021 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

The elimination of using National IDs (Ndagamuntu) for the 2021 elections should not have come as a surprise. One would be very NAIVE to think that Bobi Wine has not prepared for this in his Business Plan under the RISK section. It is public knowledge that our EC is not independent.  It is also public knowledge that Military Dictator Yoweri Museveni will never lose an election. What stunned us this morning is when we noticed that on social media, people were mocking Bobi with his "get your Ndagamuntu".  We are on record for saying to all Our readers that the National ID is like Apartheid in South Africa. Students of History would know how those IDs were being used to arrest people, deny them jobs, deny them basic services. Consequently, Bobi was not wrong and will never be wrong on the Ndagamuntu. Except the ones attacking him and mocking him forget that in Uganda, now, no National ID (Ndagamuntu), no service.  If you have not been denied registering your child i...

Here is Why Our Utterances For Praying Jesus And God To Come Liberate Ugandans, May Be Misplaced. This Phrase is like inform of a Letter To Some Categorized Section Of Ugandans.

https://m.facebook.com/yusufosuta/photos/a.1896701010557789/2070383359856219/?type=3 OPEN LETTER TO NRM SUPPORTERS - NATIONAL ROBBERS MOVEMENT. .................................................................................. Last week of March, a friend told me to pray for Uganda.  I told him that he was an Idiot and we have prayed for too long and we are still hungry and sick and Jesus is not coming soon to liberate us. He then ignored the STUPID and sent me a picture we all now know.  It got me totally messed up.  This guy was telling me to pray then sends a picture of men bowing down in blood.  He might have meant guns but I blocked him because his utterances of praying for Uganda were misplaced. I unblocked him 3 weeks later and asked him about praying and assassinations.  His reply "eithrr prayers or guns or both". I hate violence with a passion.  So he is now blocked in like FOREVER. Do you feel safe?  Do not feel safe. Uganda regim...

The Full List of Permanent Secretaries Appointed by President Museveni.

By virtue of the Powers given to the President by Article 174 (2) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, I hereby, appoint the following as Permanent Secretaries as indicated below: 1. Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet- Lucy Nakyobe 2. Deputy Head of Public Service And Secretary to Cabinet - Deborah Katuramu 3. State House Comptroller - Jane Barekye 4. Principal Private Secretary to the President- Dr. Kenneth Omona 5. Principal Private Secretary to H.E. the Vice President - Alex Kakooza 6.  Office of the Prime Minister - Keith Muhakanizi 7.  Office of the President - Yunus Kakande 8.  Ministry of Agriculture, Animal - Industry and Fisheries David Kyomukama Kasura (Maj. Gen.) 9.  Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs- Rosette Byengoma 10. Ministry of Education and Sports -       Kate Lamaro  11. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development -   Batebe Irene  12. Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Vincent Bag...