No country for journalists
They have already spent 115 days in jail. Yesterday the trial has been adjourned again – for the sixth time. Three Al Jazeera journalists are accused of spreading false news and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood formally declared as a terrorist group. In this analysis Sammy Khamis explores how Egypt has become a hugely unpleasant place for journalists to work in and what special role the Qatari news agency Al Jazeera plays in this context.
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25. April 2014
Thanks Sammy! Nice piece of yours. What do you think? Has Egypt ultimately stumbled into the “Arab Autumn”? Would be curious to hear your opinion. BTW…I’ve also just discovered your Facebook-Blog 🙂 Also nice! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Are-you-serious-Sammy-Khamis/233517373383838
25. April 2014
Daniel!
thanks for liking (and listening). As for the question on the „arab autumn“. First: I deeply reject the term „arab spring“. Never used it, never liked it. here’s why: http://kleinerdrei.org/2013/06/fruhlingsgefuhle/. The thing about the spring, summer, autumn thing is: it was created by western media, even more by western commentators who rarely ever set a foot into egypt. But other than that, what the revolution tried to achieve (bread, freedom and social justice) get’s a nope on all three
Further more the situation for journalists (which is the main concern of this piece above) can not the generalized. A vast majority of egyptians is perfectly happy with the new ruler al_sisi. But journalists seek for their stories on the edges of society thus uncover stories that should remain hidden in the eyes of the mainstream (egyptian) media, the government and their supporters. So instead of using „autumn“ as a term to describe the situation in egypt it’s more fruitful to have a closer look at the terminology and the outcomes of the „war on terror“. where a group of people has been severed from the mainstream and then crushed with lethal force. this much more captures egypt in my eyes. more to come and also more precision on that to come. Promised. thanks for having me on the site
2. May 2014
Hi Sammy! Thanks for the link. Good point. “Spring, summer, autumn” really seem to be western media creations. But then, what might be the correct terminology to describe the situation for journalists that you have analyzed in your audio piece? Do you think that “war on terror” is the appropriate terminology. As you pointed out in another link you sent me ( http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2014/04/14/Egypt-s-War-on-Terror-does-more-harm-than-good.html ), the term “war on terror” also represents the official language and terminology of the Egyptian state and authorities.