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                Al Jazeera Journalists to Appear in Egypt Court

   Twenty journalists, incudling those from the Al-Jazeera news agency, go
   on trial in Egypt Thursday, in a case that many say highlights the
   military-backed interim government`s crackdown on dissent and free
   speech.
   The journalists, including four foreigners, face charges including
   spreading "false information" about Egypt and supporting or belonging
   to the Muslim Brotherhood, which the government sees as a terrorist
   group.
   Juris Greste is the father of one of the accused journalists, the
   Australian Peter Greste. He told reporters he hopes his son will soon
   be released.
   "Of course, as far as we are concerned, he`s entirely and completely
   innocent and he should be either back home here or at his usual job in
   Nairobi."
   Al-Jazeera is based in Qatar, where the government supports the
   Brotherhood and ex-President Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the
   military in July. Some have claimed the group has provided biased news
   coverage of Egypt.
   The broadcaster denies the accusation, and says the charges against its
   journalists are "absurd, baseless and false."
   The case against the Al Jazeera journalists has attracted widespread
   international attention from fellow journalists, rights groups and
   others concerned about the state of press freedom in Egypt.
   Human Rights Watch on Thursday said the latest charges are politicized
   and show "how fast the space for dissent in Egypt is evaporating."
   Three of the journalists, including the Australian Greste and
   Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, were arrested in December from
   where they were broadcasting at a Cairo hotel.
   Authorities said they were working without accreditation. They also
   accused them of editing footage "to give the appearance that Egypt is
   in a civil war" and belonging to and possessing materials that
   supported a terrorist organization.
   Since Mr. Morsi`s ouster in July, the government has rounded up
   thousands of Brotherhood supporters and sympathizers. Over a thousand
   have also been killed in clashes with police, including several hundred
   Islamists during the break-up of a sit-in.
   The Brotherhood has held regular protests against the military coup,
   which followed mass protests against Mr. Morsi. But it denies taking
   part in a series of bombings and other attacks, which have mostly
   targeted security forces.
   The award-winning Australian, Peter Greste, has written several letters
   from prison, which is said to be ridden with bugs and rats. He has said
   the government will not tolerate any critical voices and that the jail
   is filling with those who challenge the state.
   Only eight of the 20 accused journalists will appear before court
   Thursday. The rest are not in custody. This includes Sue Turton and
   Dominic Kane from Britain and Rena Netjes from The Netherlands, who has
   never worked for Al Jazeera.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/al-jazeera-journalists-to-appear-in-e
   gypt-court/1855279.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/al-jazeera-journalists-to-appear-in-egypt-court/1855279.html