 |
|
Ahmed Abu Deraa has been
detained since September 4
|
According to local reports, Egyptian journalist Ahmed
Abu Deraa's military trial has been adjourned until Wednesday.
An
Egyptian journalist on Sunday appeared before a military court, accused of
spreading lies about the army's campaign against militants in the Sinai
Peninsula.
The
court in the Suez canal city of Ismailiya adjourned Ahmed Abu Deraa's hearing
to September 18.
Abu
Deraa, who writes for the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm, was detained on
September 4 in north Sinai over published reports that army raids had hit a
mosque and houses and also injured civilians.
Authorities
say they are targeting "terrorists" in the peninsula that borders the
Palestinian Islamist-run Gaza Strip.
DCMF
condemns Abu Deraa’s detention
Media
watchdogs and rights activists have condemned his detention.
Doha
Centre for Media Freedom has written an open
letter to the Egyptian authorities expressing concern over the arrest of
Abu Deraa.
In the
letter, the centre “demands the immediate and unconditional release of
Ahmed Abu Deraa” stating that “journalists should be allowed to work freely
without fearing persecution.”
“Arresting
journalists without charge is unacceptable at any time, especially during times
of political instability and uncertainty, when members of the media must be
allowed to carry out their work free from facing detention by the authorities.”
The
document has also been sent directly to the offices of the Egyptian Minister of
Information, Doria Sharah Al-Din and the Minister of Defence and Military
Production, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
But
military spokesman Ahmed Ali justified the journalist's detention and military
trial.
"Investigations
showed that Mr Abu Deraa spread lies, saying that the Egyptian armed forces
were attacking mosques, women and children. He deliberately spread false
news," Ali told reporters.
"He
also entered military zones."
Ali
said the charges against Abu Deraa came under the jurisdiction of the military,
and therefore required a military trial.
Several
civil society groups have slammed the increasing number of military trials of
civilians since the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on July 3.
Source:
DCMF
No comments:
Post a Comment