Tag Archives: Egypt

Call on the Egyptian authorities to release journalists held for “airing misleading news”

4 Apr

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Australian journalist Peter Greste was arrested last December alongside his Al Jazeera colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.

Their crime? Airing ‘misleading news’ about Egypt’s political situation.

If convicted, they could face life imprisonment.

Peter’s arrest is part of an increasingly disturbing and violent crackdown by the Egyptian authorities. Journalists, protesters, and anyone seen as a threat to the government are targets.

Thousands have been killed in the streets. And in a single shock ruling last week, 528 people were sentenced to death after only two hearings.
If Egypt has any chance at a peaceful future, it must be built on respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Journalism is not a crime. Call on the Egyptian authorities free Peter and his colleagues immediately

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Missed our March meeting? Catch up here…

18 Mar

“The world’s worst humanitarian crisis”. March 15th 2014 marks the third anniversary of the Syrian uprising.

Amnesty, along with other humanitarian organisations such as Oxfam, Save the Children & Christian Aid, plans to highlight the plight of over 250,000 civilians trapped in besieged areas of Syria with little food, water or medicine. We are pressing for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Syria, shining a light these people’s plight.

We signed letters and emails to the Syrian Government and the main Opposition parties, urging them to deal with this appalling situation.

Our speaker this month was Ann Marcus of Amnesty International UK, who is the Country Co-ordinator for Egypt and spoke most interestingly and with great authority on the affairs of that troubled country.

After a period of hope for Egypt’s future after the events of the Arab Spring, and the election of Mohamid Morsi as the new President, a familiar pattern of repression has been re-asserted. There is, sadly, plenty of work for Amnesty to do.

We meet on the second Tuesday of the month at the Silver Street Baptist church; all are welcome.

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