Dozens of reporters and activists protested at the Journalists Syndicate on Sunday to protest the beating of reporters and activists, allegedly at the hands of members from the Muslim Brotherhood on Saturday.
Clashes began when Brotherhood members attacked protesters spraying anti-Brotherhood graffiti near its headquarters in Moqattam. Witnesses said Brotherhood members used sticks and iron chains in the attack.
The newly-elected Journalists Syndicate Chief Diaa Rashwan, Yasser Rizq, chief editor of Al-Masry al-Youm and some members of the syndicate board including Khaled al-Balshy, Hana Fekry and Abeer al-Saady took part in the protest.
The protesters chanted, “Hey reporters, it was members of the Brotherhood who beat you!”
Rashwan said the attack on the reporters was unjustified. “We did not see reporters attacking the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters.”
Rashwan called on the Supreme Guide of the Brotherhood to officially apologize to reporters, and on President Mohamed Morsy to condemn the assault.
He also said the public prosecutor should immediately begin investigations into the incident.
He said the police should summon the assailants, and added that he would not accept assaults on reporters anywhere in Egypt.
Public Prosecutor Talaat Abdullah a complaint by Rashwan to the attorney-general of Cairo Appeals Prosecution for immediate investigation.
Rashwan accused Brotherhood members on the same day of attacking Amr Arafa and Mahmoud Shaaban, journalists with the independent daily Al-Watan, Mohamed Talaat of Al-Masry Al-Youm, Mohamed Haggag, with Youm7, and Mokhtar Ahmed, correspondent of Russia Today.
Rashwan said in the complaint that, “while [our] colleagues were performing their duties before the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Moqattam, where group of opponents were expressing their opinions by drawing on the ground and a Hamas official was meeting inside with Brotherhood officials, a group of Brotherhood youth, including the personal guard of Khairat al-Shater, attacked the protesters, then the reporters and photojournalists to prevent them from performing their duties.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
