Egyptian journalists hold signs during a protest demanding the release from prison detention of Mahmoud Abu Zied. Photo credit: AP Photo/Amr Nabil
A report by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has noted that journalists face unprecedented threats in Egypt. According to CJP “Egyptian authorities continue to imprison critical journalists while openly pledging media freedom. Egypt has the highest number of journalists behind bars since CPJ began keeping records”
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, non-profit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide, with their mission being to promote press freedom worldwide and defend the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. It ensures the free flow of news and commentary by taking action wherever journalists are attacked, imprisoned, killed, kidnapped, threatened, censored, or harassed.
The CPJ report covers a prison census done as of 1st June 2015, quotes from government officials, has ghastly tales of violent arrests of journalists and states that the result of all this has been the severe under reporting on conflict areas that need help. According to the report, with no parliament in place since 2012, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has had full legislative authority. In the midst of what authorities called a war on terrorism following Morsi’s removal from office, the government banned the Muslim Brotherhood and declared it a terrorist organization. The Egyptian government has since indiscriminately charged journalists and political detainees with belonging to the illegal group. CPJ research shows that the government of el-Sisi, who was elected president in May 2014, has used the pretext of national security to crack down on human rights, including press freedom.
Imprisoned Journalists
| Name | Station | Medium | Charge | Date of Imprisonment |
| Mahmoud Abou Zeid | Freelance | Internet, Print | No Charge | August 14, 2013 |
| Samhi Mustafa, | Rassd | Internet | Anti-state | August 25, 2013 |
| Abdullah al-Fakharny, | Rassd | Internet | Anti-state | August 25, 2013 |
| Mohamed al-Adly, | Amgad TV | Television | Anti-state | August 25, 2013 |
| Saeed Abuhaj | Sinai Media Center | Internet | Anti-state | November 4, 2013 |
| Hany Salah el-Deen | Misr 25 | Television | Anti-state | November 28, 2013 |
| Mohamed Ali Salah, | El-Shaab el-Jadeed | Internet | Anti-State | December 27, 2013 |
| Ahmed Fouad, | Karmoz | Internet | Retaliatory | January 25, 2014 |
| Mosad Albarbary, | Ahrar 25 | Television | Anti-state | April 2, 2014 |
| Omar Abdel Maksoud, | Masr al-Arabia | Internet | Retaliatory | April 15, 2014 |
| Abdel Rahman Shaheen, | Freedom and Justice Gate | Internet | Retaliatory | April 9, 2014 |
| Emad Sayed Abu Zeid | Suef Online, | Internet | Anti-State, | September 1, 2014 |
| Mohamed Ali Hassan | Misr Alaan and Al Nahar | Internet | Anti-state | December 11, 2014 |
| Hassan el-Kabbani, | Freelance | Internet | Anti-state | January 22, 2015 |
| Tarek Mahrous | Freelance | Television | Anti-state | January 31, 2015 |
| Ahmed el-Tanobi, | Arab Media Freedom Monitor | Anti-state | January 31, 2015 | |
| Abdelrahman Abdelsalam Yaqot | Karmoz | Internet | Anti-state, | March 21, 2015 |
| Youssef Shaaban | Al-Bedaiah | Internet | Retaliatory | May 11, 2015 |
The report quotes one veteran reporter who worked extensively in northern Sinai as saying “Journalism is over in the Sinai, the only reporting we can do is [to] tell the army’s story. Anything else is a prison wish.”
When these journalists couldn’t speak, CPJ spoke up.