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Journos show support for detained Al Jazeera staff

A group of media practitioners and activists gathered today with Al Jazeera Malaysia staff in order to show solidarity towards four journalists from the international news agency now detained by Egyptian authorities.

 

The group, numbering to about 30, gathered at the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Tun Razak junction to demand that the Egyptian authorities release the journalists and drop "terrorism" and "false news" charges against them.

Apart from Al Jazeera staff, Malaysiakini group editor-in-chief Steven Gan, human rights activist Masjaliza Hamzah, and Gerakan Media Marah (Geramm) representative Radzi Razak, also participated in the peaceful rally.

 

They donned blue shirts with the words "Journalism is not a crime" and "#FreeAJStaff", taped their mouths, and held up placards demanding the release of the journalists while facing the afternoon traffic at the busy junction.

 

Some drivers honked as a sign of support towards the group.

 

Al Jazeera cameramen also laid down on the road pavement to express their support to their colleagues – Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamad, Peter Greste and Abdullah Elshamy.

Malaysiakini is also currently participating in a global online campaign to free the detained the journalists, using the portal's official Facebook and Twitter accounts.

 

Al Jazeera network's assistant producer K Parkaran said the peaceful assembly is part of their effort to pressure Egypt to release their journalists.

 

“We also wanted to create awareness on their predicament,” he told the media after the assembly, adding that its headquarters in Doha, Qatar, continue to give support and advice to their family members.

 

Gan, who participated in the rally criticised the Mesir authorities for violating journalism rights in detaining as they are not criminals, and merely doing the jobs.

 

“That is why we participate in the protest. Egypt needs to free all the Al Jazeera journalists,” he said.

 

Masjaliza, a former executive officer of Centre for Independent Journalists, praised Al Jazeera's media representatives and today's participants for being brave in protesting against the journalists detention.

 

“We laud the local journalists who have come up in support to protest over the detention by Egypt's authorities. Journalism is not a crime,” she said.

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