media release
Edited by: CFJ
Geneva – January 11, 2024
UN experts expressed their deep concerns concerning the continued targeting of Al Jazeera journalists, including the re-listing of nine Al Jazeera journalists onto a new terrorism watchlist created by the Egyptian authorities, following the expiry of previous listings issued in 2021 and 2017 in which they were included.
The experts said in a UN memorandum sent to the Egyptian authorities on November 8, 2023, that On April 29, 2023, the Cairo Criminal Court announced its decision no. 1 of 2023 to re-list 81 individuals, including nine Egyptian journalists and presenters affiliated with Al Jazeera on a new terrorism watchlist for five years. The resulting legal implications, as contained in Article 7 of the Terrorist Entities Egyptian Law, include a travel ban, asset freeze, and passport cancellation.
The UN experts added that the Al Jazeera journalists affected by the re-listing are
news editor Mr. Anas Zaki Abdelhalim Khalil;
deputy news editor, Mr. Ahmed Abdelrahman Ahmed Hussein;
senior news producer Mr. Mohamed Othman Maher Mohamed Akl;
producer Mr. Abdelrahman Mohmoud Abdelzaher Hussein;
senior presenter, Mr. Ayman Mohamed Shafik Mohamed Azzam;
producer Mr. Amr Mahmoud Ahmed Salama Elkazaz;
specialist Mr. AbouBakr Hamdi Kamal Mashali;
senior producer Mr. Samhy Mostafa Ahmed Abdelalim and;
presenter, Mr. Salem Adel Salem Almahroukey.
UN experts pointed out that The renewal of this decision, which appears to amount to a misuse of counter-terrorism legislation, appears to be part of a broader crackdown on the operations of Al Jazeera and media freedoms in Egypt in parallel with ongoing limitations on civil society actors, and civic space generally.
UN experts also reiterate their concerns about the deteriorating space for media workers in Egypt and the chilling effect of such listings on freedom of expression and access to information in the country; they express their most profound concerns that these cases are not isolated but appear to be part of a systematic pattern of misuse of counter-terrorism and national security measures, which undermine individuals’ fundamental rights and the rule of law in Egypt.
UN experts express their serious concerns about the lack of adequate safeguards to prevent misuse and the lack of clear means to guarantee the rights of those subject to national-level listing processes. The placement of individuals or groups on a terrorism watchlist should be necessary and proportionate and, therefore, only in response to an actual, distinct, and measurable terrorism act or demonstrated threats of an act of terrorism.
UN experts, therefore, urge the Egyptian authorities to amend the Anti-Terrorism Laws and associated decrees in line with international human rights standards.
