The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its regional group, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), have appealed to the European Heads of State meeting in Brussels to vigorously protest to the Egyptian authorities over the systematic violence against media staff and targeting of journalists covering the current protests and civil unrest in Egypt.
The last 48 hours has been a time of intolerable intimidation of journalists. There have been arbitrary arrests, beatings and intimidation of journalists by people sympathetic to the regime, some of whom IFJ / EFJ believes to be actively encouraged by government and security services.
The letter called on European leaders to raise the public voice of the European Union loud and clear to condemn these various actions. "It is essential that sustained international pressure is brought to bear on the Egyptian Government to end the attacks on journalists and provide guarantees that they be allowed to report the situation in safety."
IFJ/ EFJ further condemned the incitement to violence and hostility to journalists being generated by the State-run television which has blamed foreign journalists for the state of unrest. IFJ/EFJ also expressed concern for Egyptian journalists protesting against censorship within the state-run broadcasters. Yesterday Shaheera Amin, the senior news Anchor and Deputy Head of the state sponsored English-language satellite channel, Nile TV, resigned after the management refused to allow coverage of events in Tahrir square. IFJ/EFJ urged the European Heads of state to defend the rights of all journalists to report freely on the events in Egypt.
"We ask you to make a clear and categorical demand to President Hosni Mubarak and to egyptian authorities to end the violence and targeting of media, to lift all forms of censorship and to allow all journalists, including Egyptian journalists to work freely," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President, Arne Konig, EFJ President and Aidan White, IFJ / EFJ General Secretary
