A Bunch Of High-Profile Journalists Just Walked Into The Egyptian Consulate To Demand Peter Greste’s Release
It went surprisingly well.
Some of Australia’s most well-known journalists and TV reporters, including Sky News Australia anchor Tracey Spicer, Ten Eyewitness News co-host Hugh Riminton and ABC Foreign Correspondent reporter Sophie McNeill, entered the Sydney office of the Egyptian Consulate on Commonwealth Street in Surry Hills at about 1PM this afternoon and hand-delivered a letter from dozens of journalist and human rights organisations to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
.@hughriminton @Sophiemcneill @spicertracey in support of @PeterGreste and colleagues #FreeAJStaff pic.twitter.com/dEAgc5Vigd
— Walkley Foundation (@walkleys) June 30, 2014
The letter, which the three journalists read out to Egypt’s Vice Consul General, Ahmed Farid, was accompanied by a petition signed by over 150,000 people calling on the Egyptian government to release Australian journalist Peter Greste and the two Al Jazeera journalists imprisoned alongside him, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.
“The verdict of the court, despite the lack of evidence and bizarre court proceedings over more than a dozen hearings, is an appalling attack on press freedom and carries an implicit threat to all media working in Egypt”, the letter reads.
“We call on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to immediately release the three Al Jazeera English journalists and all journalists detained for their journalism”.
Delivering the petition to Vice Consul Ahmed Farid with @HughRiminton @Sophiemcneill and @strom_m #freeAJstaff pic.twitter.com/oySf9PFf0S
— Tracey Spicer (@spicertracey) June 30, 2014
Speaking to assembled media outside, the journalists said the Vice Consul General had listened to their concerns and was passing their response on to Egypt via the Egyptian embassy in Canberra.
“The petition and (150,000) signatures will be conveyed directly to President al-Sisi.” Ahmed Farid. #FreeAJStaff
— Tracey Spicer (@spicertracey) June 30, 2014
Vice Consul General told us he is taking note of all emails & messages sent to consulate re: Al Jaz 3 & passing it on to Cairo #FreeAJStaff
— Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) June 30, 2014
The Egyptian consulate sits four floors down from Junkee’s own offices; last week we went down there to ask some questions, but were told we weren’t allowed to take photos or quote any consular staff. Thankfully Farid agreed to speak to the media today.
Spicer said she was “very cautiously optimistic” at the response they received from the consulate, but all three journalists urged people to “keep up the pressure” on Egypt to help secure the Al Jazeera journalist’s release.
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Feature image via The Walkley Foundation.