Journalists Against Torture Observatory said that security targeted journalists and that violence escalated to the extent of sniping them while performing duties.
The observatory pointed to 96 cases of violation against journalists in January. It called for holding the interior minister accountable for targeting the journalists.
In a press release on Saturday, the observatory said that in 31 of the 96 cases, journalists were exposed to beatings, robbery and damaging of equipment. In three cases, the journalists were shot and in 33 cases were detained, of which only four of them were not released and face judicial accusations. Journalists from the Al-Jazeera network are still being held for allegedly publishing false news. In 32 cases, journalists were banned from covering the news.
Ashraf Abbas, the observatory’s general coordinator, said the series of violations against the journalists resumed in January. Live ammunition was shot at journalists causing injury to some. Others were wounded by birdshot, as well as sniped.
Charges of terrorism have been used as a tool to intimidate journalists and prevent them from performing their duties. Journalists have also been arrested on claims that they work for Al-Jazeera and been brought to trials in an unconstitutional way.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
