Paris, February 04: The United States alleged Thursday there were ‘concerted’ efforts to intimidate foreign journalists in Egypt, while the group Reporters Without Borders alleged an’all-out witch- hunt’ against the media.
US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said ‘there is a concerted campaign to intimidate international journalists in Cairo and interfere with their reporting.
‘We condemn such actions.’
The US joined other international organizations who have complained of attacks against media covering the violent clashes on Cairo’s streets between supporters of Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and opponents of the regime.
The New York Times reported that two its reporters were released Thursday after being detained overnight.
In Paris, Reporters Without Borders issued a statement saying it was ‘horrified by what appears to be an all-out witch-hunt against news media that are covering events in Egypt.’
The group also said it was very concerned for all the journalists currently in Cairo, especially before a major demonstration planned by President Hosny Mubarak’s opponents for Friday.
‘Theft, violence, arbitrary arrests and extreme violence… the list of abuses against journalists by President Mubarak’s supporters is getting longer by the hour and they are clearly systematic and concerted,’ said secretary-general Jean-François Julliard.
He said the regime had unleashed ‘its supporters in an unprecedented campaign of hatred and violence’ against the media, with several news bureaux having been attacked.
‘This has gone beyond censorship. This is now about ridding Cairo of all journalists working for foreign news media,’ Julliard charged, saying that ‘the highest level of the Egyptian government’ must be held responsible for the attacks.
Reporters Without Borders was urging all news media to boost their coordination with each other to gain as much security as possible for correspondents.
‘And we urge foreign governments and their embassies to provide the utmost diplomatic support for journalists from their countries when they find themselves in difficulty,’ Julliard said.
Amid various reports about attacks against media representatives, Swedish public broadcaster SVT said that one of its reporters had gone missing in Cairo while covering the protests.
Bert Sundstrom, one of four SVT reporters in Cairo, has not been heard from since mid-afternoon Thursday, SVT said.
An unknown male voice answered his mobile phone and said in Arabic that Sundstrom had been detained and was ‘with the army,’ SVT’s Olov Carlsson said.
–Agencies