Egyptian authorities arrest journalist for 'inciting violence'

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/09/egypt-arrest-journalist-al-jazeera

Version 0 of 1.

Egyptian authorities have arrested a journalist who worked for Al-Jazeera for allegedly inciting and taking part in violence, the country's official news agency reported.

The Mena report said Abdel-Rahman Shaheen, detained in the Suez Canal area, was suspected of taking part and inciting attacks against police, including torching security vehicles. Quoting an unnamed security official, the agency said Shaheen had nine arrest warrants against him over alleged violent attacks.

The report identified him as a journalist who worked for the Muslim Brotherhood's now-banned newspaper and television station, as well as Doha-based Al-Jazeera.

Al-Jazeera said Shaheen previously worked as a freelance journalist for its Arabic service.

Egypt's military-backed interim government declared the Brotherhood a terrorist group following the July overthrow of Mohammed Morsi. Over 1,000 of the group's members and sympathisers have been killed in a security crackdown on protests since the overthrow. More than 1,600 are currently detained, facing trials on various charges.

Three of Al-Jazeera's English service journalists, including award-winning Australian correspondent Peter Greste and Canadian-Egyptian acting bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy, are being tried on terrorism-related charges. A fourth journalist who works for the network's Arabic service has been detained since August and has been on hunger strike since January to protest his continued detention.

The station denies being biased and says its journalists were arrested for simply doing their job.

Mena identified Shaheen as a Brotherhood member who was among a group of students suspended from Al-Azhar University for taking part in a militia-style demonstration in 2006. It said that demonstration sparked an investigation then into whether the Brotherhood had resurrected a military wing.