Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Amnesty Publishes Report on Egyptian Media Clampdown

VOA News

   Sunday is World PressFreedomDay and aglobalhuman rights group has
   marked the observance by publishing an overview of Egypt's assault on
   journalists and other media workers.

   Amnesty Internationalsaid in its report that"This clampdown on media
   not only violates journalists' right to freedom ofexpression, but also
   the general public's access to independentinformation...Guaranteeing
   freedom of expression and access to reliable information is even more
   critical during the COVID-19 healthemergency, in order to
   buildpublictrust and fightmisinformation."

   Amnestysaid Egyptian security forces arrested a journalist in March
   because he questioned, on his personal Facebook page, the country's
   official COVID-19 statistics.

   Amnesty said the journalist was held for nearly a month at an
   undisclosed location without any contact with the outside
   world.Afterwards, hefaced charges of "spreading false news' and
   "joining a terrorist organization."

   Philip Luther,Amnesty'sMiddle East and North Africaresearch and
   advocacy director said,"Since 2016, the authorities in Egypt have
   subjected dozens of journalists and other media workers to a catalogue
   of violations just fordoingtheir jobs or expressing theirviews."

   Egyptian official had no immediate reaction to the report.

.