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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Peter Greste: Egypt detention is 'attack on press freedom' | Peter Greste: Egypt detention is 'attack on press freedom' |
| (5 months later) | |
| An Australian journalist, who is being held in an Egyptian jail with two colleagues, says their detention is an "attack on freedom of speech". | An Australian journalist, who is being held in an Egyptian jail with two colleagues, says their detention is an "attack on freedom of speech". |
| "We have not been formally charged, much less convicted of any crime," Peter Greste wrote in a letter. | "We have not been formally charged, much less convicted of any crime," Peter Greste wrote in a letter. |
| The Al-Jazeera journalists were arrested on 30 December in Cairo for allegedly holding illegal meetings with the banned Muslim Brotherhood. | The Al-Jazeera journalists were arrested on 30 December in Cairo for allegedly holding illegal meetings with the banned Muslim Brotherhood. |
| The Islamist group is facing a crackdown by the army-led government. | The Islamist group is facing a crackdown by the army-led government. |
| 'Terrible mistake' | 'Terrible mistake' |
| Mr Greste, a former BBC correspondent, sent his letter from Cairo's Tora prison, where he has spent a fortnight in solitary confinement. | Mr Greste, a former BBC correspondent, sent his letter from Cairo's Tora prison, where he has spent a fortnight in solitary confinement. |
| "I've been locked in my cell 24 hours a day for the past 10 days, allowed out only for visits to the prosecutor for questioning," he writes. | "I've been locked in my cell 24 hours a day for the past 10 days, allowed out only for visits to the prosecutor for questioning," he writes. |
| The journalist said he had initially fought his imprisonment "quietly from within", in order to avoid losing access to books and his right to leave the "cold cell" for a short walk in the yard. | The journalist said he had initially fought his imprisonment "quietly from within", in order to avoid losing access to books and his right to leave the "cold cell" for a short walk in the yard. |
| "I have sought, until now, to make the authorities understand that this is all a terrible mistake, that I've been caught in the middle of a political struggle that is not my own," he says. | "I have sought, until now, to make the authorities understand that this is all a terrible mistake, that I've been caught in the middle of a political struggle that is not my own," he says. |
| "But after two weeks in prison it is now clear that this is a dangerous decision. It validates an attack not just on me and my two colleagues but on freedom of speech across Egypt." | "But after two weeks in prison it is now clear that this is a dangerous decision. It validates an attack not just on me and my two colleagues but on freedom of speech across Egypt." |
| The Interior Ministry accuses Mr Greste and fellow al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed of collaborating with terrorists and broadcasting false information. | The Interior Ministry accuses Mr Greste and fellow al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed of collaborating with terrorists and broadcasting false information. |
| But Mr Greste has rejected the allegations, stressing he had only been trying to report events with fairness, balance and accuracy. | But Mr Greste has rejected the allegations, stressing he had only been trying to report events with fairness, balance and accuracy. |
| He said the arrests sent a message to all journalists that authorities will not tolerate critical voices. | He said the arrests sent a message to all journalists that authorities will not tolerate critical voices. |
| In December, authorities declared the Muslim Brotherhood a "terrorist organisation", blaming it for a string of attacks - claims the movement denies. | In December, authorities declared the Muslim Brotherhood a "terrorist organisation", blaming it for a string of attacks - claims the movement denies. |
| The military ousted the Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi as Egyptian president last July. | The military ousted the Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi as Egyptian president last July. |
| Correspondents say the government has long accused the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera broadcaster of bias, because Qatar gave financial support to Mr Morsi's administration. | Correspondents say the government has long accused the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera broadcaster of bias, because Qatar gave financial support to Mr Morsi's administration. |
| "The prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government," he notes in his letter. | "The prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government," he notes in his letter. |
| "So our arrest is not a mistake, and as a journalist this IS my battle." | "So our arrest is not a mistake, and as a journalist this IS my battle." |
| Mr Greste also pointed out that his colleagues were being held in the "far more draconian Scorpion prison built for convicted terrorists", because they were accused of being Brotherhood members. | Mr Greste also pointed out that his colleagues were being held in the "far more draconian Scorpion prison built for convicted terrorists", because they were accused of being Brotherhood members. |
| He added that the prosecutor general had extended the initial 15-day detention by another 15 days "to give investigators more time to find something". | He added that the prosecutor general had extended the initial 15-day detention by another 15 days "to give investigators more time to find something". |
| "He can do this indefinitely - one of my prison mates has been behind bars for 6 months without a single charge," Mr Greste says. | "He can do this indefinitely - one of my prison mates has been behind bars for 6 months without a single charge," Mr Greste says. |
| Observers say Egypt's media environment has been highly charged since Mr Morsi's overthrow. | Observers say Egypt's media environment has been highly charged since Mr Morsi's overthrow. |
| Several Islamist channels were closed down immediately after the military intervention last summer. Al-Jazeera's Egyptian station Mubashir Misr was shut down in September. | Several Islamist channels were closed down immediately after the military intervention last summer. Al-Jazeera's Egyptian station Mubashir Misr was shut down in September. |
| The channel previously had its Cairo offices raided, equipment seized, and staff detained. | The channel previously had its Cairo offices raided, equipment seized, and staff detained. |
| Two of its staff - journalist Abdullah Elshamy and cameraman Mohammad Badr - arrested in July and August remain in detention, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. |