Journalists attacked by security forces in Egypt

Thursday 24 Nov 2011
Journalists have been among the targets of the security forces during clashes in Cairo and other cities since 19 November as demonstrators demand the dissolution of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Reporters Without Borders said the violations are as bad as in the revolution’s earlier phase in January and February. It fears that the abuses against media personnel could worsen.

Egyptian-American journalist Mona Eltahawy reported via Twitter that interior ministry officials were mistreating detainees and that she was beaten and sexually assaulted (repeatedly “groped”) by policemen during her 12-hour detention. She also said she had been blindfolded for hours and also posted a picture of her severely bruised hand.

Spanish photographer Guillem Valle was attacked by plainclothes policemen and had to be hospitalised.

Yesterday, the media watch group gave a partial list of attacks and detentions that occurred over the past four days in Cairo and Alexandria. It listed the names of eight reporters and photographers who had been assaulted by security forces or had sustained head or serious eye injuries when covering demonstrations or due to being hit by rubber bullets.

Yehia Faheem, a cameraman with the CNC production company, and Haitham Gala, his soundman, were both injured by rubber bullets while covering the demonstration in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

The Journalists’ Syndicate condemned attacks on journalists working for six news media and said: “A journalist was arrested and forced to undress. He was beaten with a stick. All his money was stolen.”