"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



‘Marriott Cell' Trial scheduled to commence on Wednesday
Published in Daily News Egypt on 05 - 03 - 2014

The trial of 20 journalists, including nine Al Jazeera reporters, is scheduled to commence again on Wednesday after being postponed on 21 February. The journalists are facing trial in the case dubbed by the prosecution as the "Marriott Cell" affair; all but three of the journalists will be tried in absentia.
Canadian-Egyptian bureau chief Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Australian correspondent Peter Greste were arrested from two rented suites at the Marriott Hotel in Zamalek, which they had been using as a base of operations, on 29 December. Egyptian producer Mohamed Baher was arrested on the same night from his house in suburban Cairo. All three work for Al Jazeera English.
A fourth Al Jazeera journalist, Abduallah Al-Shami, who works for the channel's Arabic service has been in custody since he was detained during the 14 August dispersal of sit-ins supporting former president Mohamed Morsi at Rabaa Al-Adaweya and Nahda squares. Al-Shami has not yet been charged with any crime and will not be tried today.
The trio on trial Wednesday were referred to trial in January with charges of "broadcasting false news" and "aiding a terrorist organisation", among other charges.
Early in February, privately funded Al-Tahrir channel aired a video of the journalists' arrest from the Marriott Hotel. The video showed the journalists being questioned without lawyers, with dramatic music playing in the background, along with the equipment they used to perform their job. Al Jazeera channel criticised the video, describing it as "an attempt to demonise its detained staff".
The arrests set off widespread international condemnation among journalists and human rights groups. Journalists and activists have held protests over the last week in cities across the world, demanding the release of the detained reporters.
Gamal Eid, a lawyer for the Cairo based Arab Network for Human Rights condemned the trials accusing the government of "trying to silence journalists" and saying that freedom of the press in Egypt now is the worst it has been in 20 years. He also added that he expected the journalists to receive at least 7 years in prison.
"Journalists should not have to risk years in an Egyptian prison for doing their job," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The prosecution of these journalists for speaking with Muslim Brotherhood members, coming after the prosecution of protesters and academics, shows how fast the space for dissent in Egypt is evaporating" he said.
Additional reporting by Aaron T. Rose, Abdelhalim H. AbdAllah and Menna Zaki


Clic here to read the story from its source.