The International Press Institute (IPI) today published a full-page ad in The Washington Post calling on Egypt to release Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein and all other jailed journalists in the country.
Hussein has now been arbitrarily detained in Egypt for four years. The Doha-based journalist was arrested by Egyptian authorities upon his arrival in Cairo on a trip to visit family on December 20, 2016. He was interrogated for over 14 hours without a lawyer present, before being released and then arrested again days later. Since then, Hussein’s detention has been extended more than a dozen times.
No formal charges have been brought against him. Officials have accused him of “disseminating false news” and seeking to defame the state’s reputation.
In January 2018, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the conditions of Hussein’s imprisonment amounted to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”. The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights has also raised the issue of Hussein’s imprisonment with the Egyptian government following an IPI request.
In May 2019, a court ordered Hussein’s release under “precautionary measures” that would have freed him from jail, while retaining some restrictions on his movement. However, he was taken back into custody shortly before his scheduled release.
During his time in jail, Hussein has been held for long periods in solitary confinement and systematically denied his legal rights. Hussein was denied proper medical treatment in prison when he broke his arm in 2017.
Hussein is one of dozens of journalists detained in Egypt. In recent years Egypt has systematically dismantled the rights to press freedom and freedom of expression, creating a vast, oppressive legal framework to facilitate a crackdown on critical news and information. Detained journalists are subject to massive violations of their right to due process and a fair trial, with many held for years without official charges or sufficient access to legal counsel.
IPI launched the #PressEgypt campaign to advocate for the release of all jailed journalists in Egypt.
“Mahmoud Hussein has been jailed in Egypt for four years without charges, trial, or conviction. His detention is a gross violation of fundamental human rights and is part of Egypt’s ongoing crackdown against journalists and anyone else who dares to criticize the current regime”, IPI Director of Advocacy Ravi R. Prasad said. “We renew our call on Egypt to release all jailed journalists and we urge the international community to pressure the Egyptian authorities to comply with their international human rights obligations.”
The ad is being run as part of The Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership, an ongoing initiative that aims to highlight organizations working vigilantly to promote press freedom and raise awareness of the rights of journalists worldwide.
