Al Jazeera Media Network has denied the charges made against one of its news producers, Mahmoud Hussein, who was arresreted in Egypt on Friday. Egypt’s interior ministry issued a statement accusing him of disturbing public security and spreading false news on behalf of the Qatar-based broadcaster.
Refuting the claim, Al Jazeera has issued a statement denying the "fabricated charges" brought against Hussein and demanding his immediate release, adding that he was in Egypt on vacation and not for work. "Hussein is a news producer in the Al Jazeera Arabic newsroom and not a correspondent supervisor as alleged by the statement,” Al Jazeera statement said.
“(He) would not have travelled through the airport at Egypt if he was undertaking any illegal activities as alleged by the MOI statement."
The broadcaster expressed surprise over the fact that the interior ministry of a country as big as Egypt would issue an official statement that contains an alarming number of false facts and allegations.
“Al Jazeera Media Network reaffirms its commitment to ensuring ethical and professional coverage of news in its pursuit of the truth, which is not directed to the detriment of specific individuals, institutions or countries. As such, Al Jazeera denies all the malicious accusations stated against it in the MOI’s statement,” the statement added.
The media network also held the Egyptian authorities responsible for the safety of its news producer and condemned his confinement and interrogation by Egypt’s Public Prosecution. Al Jazeera also warned the Egyptian authorities against subjecting Hussein to torture or extracting any information from him by force. Al Jazeera also stressed in the statement that all accusations against Hussein to be a result of practices which violate international norms and conventions.
