Colleague Mahmoud Hussein, journalist for Al-Jazeera news channel, completes 1400 days in prison, since the Egyptian authorities arrested him on December 23, 2016 - while on vacation with his family - and continues to arbitrarily detain him, without trial.
Dr. Mustafa Souaq, Acting Director General of Al-Jazeera Media Network, demanded the immediate release of our colleague Mahmoud, and said that his arrest represents a flagrant violation of all Egyptian and international laws, and a regrettable and condemnable act.
Dr. Souaq added, "In light of the news confirming the spread of Corona disease in the overcrowded Egyptian prisons, which lack the simplest preventive conditions and necessary precautionary measures, and the danger this situation may represent to the lives of Mahmoud and other detainees, we call on the Egyptian authorities to release all detained journalists, as well as We call on the international community to put pressure on Egypt and other countries that do not respect freedom of the press and opinion, to release all those unjustly detained in their prisons. "
A stand in solidarity at the headquarters of the Al-Jazeera network in solidarity with the colleague with Mahmoud Hussein imprisoned in Egypt (Al-Jazeera - Archives)
Egypt is still at the forefront of countries with a poor record in the field of human rights and the protection of freedom of the press, as the Egyptian authorities have not yet abided by the stipulations of the local law regarding the period of pretrial detention, which is supposed to not exceed two years, and circumvented the order to re-arrest our colleague Mahmoud Hussein pending another case. Also artificial after a judicial decision to release him.
The network renews its call on the world's free people, human rights defenders, associations and organizations supporting freedom of the press, to unify their efforts to highlight the case of Mahmoud Hussein and the rest of the detained journalists, and to demand their immediate release.
The network stands in solidarity with all detained journalists anywhere in the world, and demands that they be protected and enabled to carry out their duty, as journalism is not a crime.
The safety of journalists should be treated as a global priority, and freedom of the press should not be considered a luxury but rather a fundamental human right.
A letter from the American Democratic Party lawmakers to Al-Sisi included the name of the arrested journalist colleague Mahmoud Hussein (Al-Jazeera)
An American newspaper reported that lawmakers from the Democratic Party had sent a letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi demanding the release of detainees who said they had been unfairly imprisoned, warning that it would not tolerate violations if Joe Biden won the presidency.
The "Washington Post" newspaper reported that lawmakers included in their letter details of detainees who said they were in prison for reasons they described as "unfair", expressing their concerns about the spread of the new Corona virus "Covid-19" in Egyptian prisons.
The lawmakers - 56 Democrats, including independent Senator Bernie Sanders - have warned that the Democrats will not tolerate human rights violations if Joe Biden wins the presidency.
The letter spoke of more than 20 detainees - including activists, lawyers, political opponents and journalists - that it said were unfairly imprisoned for exercising their basic rights.
The list included Al-Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein, who has been detained in Egypt for about 4 years, as well as politicians Hazem Hosni and Khaled Daoud, socialist activist Haitham Mohamadeen, human rights activist Mahienour Al-Masry, political activist Rami Shaath, who has been in pretrial detention for more than a year, and Coptic activist Rami Kamal.
Lawmakers said that a number of American citizens were imprisoned in Egypt, including the brother of Pennsylvania teacher Reem Muhammad al-Desouki, and demanded his release.