Friday, August 30, 2013

South African cameraman Adil Bradlow and Al Jazeera journalists detained by Egyptian authorities; Al Jazeera demands release.

The South African cameraman Adil Bradlow and Al Jazeera journalists are being detained by Egyptian authorities with Al Jazeera (TopTV 401 / DStv 406) demanding their unconditional release.

"Al Jazeera calls for the Egyptian authorities to release all our staff unconditionally along with their belongings and equipment," says Al Jazeera in a statement.

The Al Jazeera staffers - Adil Bradlow, producers Russ Finn, Baher Mohammed and Al Jazeera English's Bangkok based correspondent Wayne Hay - were detained while covering the ongoing crisis in Cairo in Egypt following the military coup.

The arrests are part of what Reporters Without Borders has called "growing hostility" towards journalists in Egypt.

The arrest follow the detainment of Al Jazeera correspondent Abdullah al-Shami who was arrested on 14 August, along with Mohamed Badr, a cameraman for Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr who has been held for more than one month.

The AP is reporting that the Egyptian government is considering a ban on Al Jazeera's local affiliate for what the government claims are "rumours and claims which are harmful to Egyptian national security and threaten the country's unity."