Hundreds of Egyptian journalists staged a vigil on Sunday in front of Egypt's Press Syndicate Headquarters calling for releasing imprisoned fellows and creating a better journalistic environment, Al-Bawaba News reported. During the vigil, which commemorates the World Press Day, participants said the whole world is celebrating the day of free speech while Egyptian journalists are jailed for their views. "I dream of a future where journalists are not assaulted, imprisoned or killed while doing their job," Mohamed Safa El-Dine, a journalist in the weekly Al-Badeel private newspaper said. Abdel Wakeel Abul Kassem, a journalist in the state-owned Rosalyousef newspaper said the press syndicate is required to protect its members against violations and to restore immunity for journalism as a fourth authority. According to independent statistics, around 70 Egyptian journalists are currently behind bars over free speech-related charges. The demonstrators raised signs and slogans calling for avenging and honoring their murdered fellows. Since the Jan. 25 uprising erupted, a number of journalists have been killed. Mayada Ashraf, 23, a reporter with the daily Al-Dustour, was shot dead in late March, 2014 while covering clashes between security forces and the Muslim Brotherhood protesters in Eastern Cairo's Ain Shams area. Abdel Raouf was killed August, 2013 in the northern city of Damanhur when police shot him dead allegedly for breaking a nightly military-imposed curfew. "Journalists like Husseiny Abu Deif, Mayada Ashraf and Tamer Abdel Raouf must be honored as the revolution's martyrs," Hossam Sweify, a journalist in Al-Fajr private newspaper said, calling on the state to bring the killers of journalists on trial through transparent investigations besides compensating the victims' families. The syndicate's newly-elected head Yahia Qallash vowed in March to release the jailed journalists and to maintain their rights to free speech. "Setting the detained journalists is my top priority," Mr. Qallash said, hours after he was named the new Press Syndicate head. On March 23, Qallash re-promised families of the jailed journalists who were on a sit-in inside the Syndicate's building to help set their siblings free. Haitham Battah, sub-editor of Al-Youm newspaper complained the lack of social justice make Egyptian journalists lead a miserable life. Thousands of Egyptian journalists are currently homeless as their institutions have been shut down. Thousands others are badly paid, which creates social hardships for them, Battah said. Egypt's Human Rights National Council ( HRNC) member, Hafez Abu Seda called Sunday on the state to guarantee free speech and free circulation of information for a better journalistic arena. "Committing to objectivity, cancelling anti-freedom laws and reinforcing free speech are essential tools for a healthy journalism," Mr. Abu Seda wrote on Twitter.
