UNESCO should protest attacks on journalists in Egypt

A CNN report titled "Angry crowd turns on journalists reporting embassy attack in Egypt" describes how a reporter, Dina Amer, was mobbed and trampled in Cairo last weekend. It went on to describe how CNN producer Mohamed Fadel Fahmy was also mobbed and trampled as he tried to protect Amer, and how other CNN reporters were unable to effect a rescue for some time. When Fahmy was able finally to carry Amer to a nearby car occupied by other reporters, and PBS reporter Margaret Warner began to drive away, the car was stoned by the mob. 

Other Egyptian journalists told CNN they were also attacked Saturday while trying to report near the Israeli embassy. 

Ahmed Aleiba, a correspondent with Egyptian state television, said he was pursued by civilians and soldiers. 

"I had to run because obviously they were targeting journalists," Aleiba said in a phone call with CNN. "They attacked two other TV crews."

The article goes on to recount other, earlier occasions in which reporters were attacked by Egyptian demonstrators over the past year.

I would strongly recommend that UNESCO express its concern for the safety of journalists covering the events in the Middle East and North Africa, and condemn the acts of mobs in threatening and/or attacking these journalists.

John Daly
The opinion expressed in this post is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect that of Americans for UNESCO.