Egypt again bans Al Jazeera journalists
July 27, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Al Jazeera says that ‘a number’ of its Egyptian journalists and presenters had been added to a list of alleged terrorists by Egypt.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera said that its journalists and presenters have been cited as terrorists and their names published in an official newspaper earlier this month following a ruling by the Cairo Criminal Court.
“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly denounces the recent move by the Egyptian authorities to reinstate a number of its journalists onto a newly crafted terrorism list,” the network stated.
The broadcaster also called for the release of two reporters — Bahaa al-Din Ibrahim, who was arrested in February 2020, and Rabee al-Sheikh, who was arrested in August 2021. Both had travelled back to Egypt from Qatar to visit family, the network said.
Egypt initially revoked Al Jazeera’s media credentials and raided its offices, and arrested several reporters. The arrest and trial of three Al Jazeera English service journalists — Australian Peter Greste, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed — sparked an international outcry.
The three received 10-year prison sentences, but were later released in 2015.