Journalism On Trial in Egypt

Timothy Spangler
Wed, 25 Jun 2014 13:22:33 -0700
Opinion

Three journalists for the news channel Al-Jazeera, including one Australian national, were given prison sentences this week by an Egyptian court for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. The three now face seven years in prison for simply reporting on day-to-day politics in Egypt. No meaningful evidence was provided by prosecutors at the trial to support the charges of terrorism that were laid against them. Unsurprisingly, their convictions have been receiving intense coverage around the world.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated that he was bewildered by the verdicts but at the same time made clear that he respects the legitimacy of the Egyptian justice system. Abbott stressed that his priorities are ensuring that due process is provided to the Australian, Peter Greste, and working to bring Greste back to Australia as soon as possible.

Al-Jazeera, which is no stranger to controversy, is owned by Qatar, a country that itself has been subject to unflattering news coverage in recent weeks in connection with allegations of bribery and corruption in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup. In addition to funding Al-Jazeera, Qatar is also a significant supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned again by the secularist Egyptian government after a brief period in power.
Updated: Thu Jun 26, 2014

Three journalists for the news channel Al-Jazeera, including one Australian national, were given prison sentences this week by an Egyptian court for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. The three now face seven years in prison for simply reporting on day-to-day politics in Egypt. No meaningful evidence was provided by prosecutors at the trial to support the charges of terrorism that were laid against them. Unsurprisingly, their convictions have been receiving intense coverage around the world.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated that he was bewildered by the verdicts but at the same time made clear that he respects the legitimacy of the Egyptian justice system. Abbott stressed that his priorities are ensuring that due process is provided to the Australian, Peter Greste, and working to bring Greste back to Australia as soon as possible.

Al-Jazeera, which is no stranger to controversy, is owned by Qatar, a country that itself has been subject to unflattering news coverage in recent weeks in connection with allegations of bribery and corruption in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup. In addition to funding Al-Jazeera, Qatar is also a significant supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned again by the secularist Egyptian government after a brief period in power.

Since the election of former armed forces supremo Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi as president, Egyptian courts have been ratcheting up the punishments being handed out to critics of the regime, both real and perceived. For example, death sentences have been given to members of the Muslim Brotherhood, while particularly harsh attention has been paid to journalists reporting stories that happen to displease or embarrass the government.

Those who believe in the important role of journalism and a free press to be able to report facts fairly and truthfully in order to inform readers of the important stories of the day will be gravely disappointed by the direction that Egypt has gone since el-Sissi's election. Without accurate reporting from volatile parts of the world in crisis, how can people at a distance actually form meaningful opinions?

Both U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague issued prompt denunciations of the verdicts, questioning the manner in which the trial was conducted. The Australian government has also been clear over its concern about the treatment of its citizen and the procedural abnormalities that underpinned the conviction, but it was more muted in its condemnation of the Egyptian authorities, given its desire to negotiate for the release of Greste. Although Greste was charged with publishing lies that harmed national security, the prosecutors served up no more convincing evidence than footage of police officers and protesters. An Al-Jazeera spokesman stated that "not a shred of evidence" was put forward by the government to support these charges.

Unfortunately, Al-Jazeera has bitterly divided international opinion since its launch. Fans point to its willingness to cover stories that would never be picked up by a Western media outlet and to provide alternative perspectives on controversial news items. Opponents accuse it of either cozying up to dictators and refusing to confront them about the injustices in their countries or supporting dissidents and causing trouble for the legitimate governments of countries. Al-Jazeera's lack of friends in the Egyptian judiciary no doubt played an important role in the harsh sentences handed out to these three particular journalists.

Within the other powers of his presidency, el-Sissi has the ability to pardon the three journalists, as well as the numerous other reporters who have been arrested in recent months. However, by stating publicly that he will not overturn the sentences, el-Sissi has made clear how unwilling he is to respond to diplomatic pressure and international public opinion. While claiming to "respect judicial rulings," el-Sissi is fostering repression and demonstrating to the rest of the world the length his government will go to quash debate and silence dissent.

Of course, it is worth remembering that el-Sissi holds office today as a direct result of the Obama administration's willingness to permit a military coup to usurp his legitimately elected predecessor, Mohammed Morsi. Neither the White House nor the State Department has so far commented on whether, in light of these verdicts, the change they once backed so wholeheartedly is now a change for the better or the worse.

Twice in the past three years, President Barack Obama has supported "regime change" in Egypt. With no sign of a return to stability in the foreseeable future, the Egyptian people will continue to bear the brunt of the consequences that flow from this policy.

The harsh sentences given to these journalists demonstrate that retaining power at all costs is the name of the game now in Egypt.