June 24, 2014

H. E. Mouhahad El-Ashmawy
Ambassador to Malawi
Egyptian Embassy
10 24! "so#a $oad
%ilongwe &
Malawi
Re: Sentencing of journalists in Egypt
'our E()ellen)y,
"he Media *nstitute o+ ,outhern A+ri)a -M*,A. writes to you as a representati/e o+ 0ournalists throughout
southern A+ri)a to e(press our disappointment with re)ent )ourt de)isions in Egypt.
As a de+ender o+ media +reedom and +reedom o+ e(pression in southern A+ri)a, we 0oin the rest o+ the world in
)ondemning the senten)ing o+ three Al Jazeera 0ournalists and +our other de+endants to at least se/en years in
prison, as well as three +oreign 0ournalists being senten)ed to 10 years in absentia.
1reedom o+ e(pression is re)ognised as a +undamental human right in numerous international instruments, to
whi)h Egypt is a party, in)luding the 2ni/ersal 3e)laration o+ Human $ights, Arti)le 145 *nternational
6o/enant on 6i/il and 7oliti)al $ights, Arti)le 145 and the A+ri)an 6harter on Human and 7eoples8 $ights,
Arti)le 4. 1urther, Egypt8s new 6onstitution also guarantees +reedom o+ e(pression and opinion -Arti)le 9:.,
media +reedom -Arti)le !0., and media independen)e -Arti)le !2..
"he three Al Jazeera 0ournalists were )harged with ;broad)asting +alse reports<. ,u)h =+alse news laws8 ha/e
been )ondemned by /arious 2nited >ations -2>. bodies and representati/es on numerous o))asions. 2>
,pe)ial $apporteur on 1reedom o+ E(pression and A))ess to *n+ormation 7ansy "la#ula has stated? ;*n the
)ase o+ o++en)es su)h as @ publishing or broad)asting =+alse8 or =alarmist8 in+ormation, prison term are both
reprehensible and out o+ proportion to the harm su++ered by the /i)tim. *n all su)h )ases, imprisonment as
punishment +or pea)e+ul e(pression o+ an opinion )onstitutes a serious /iolation o+ human rights.<
As a )ountry in transition this is a de/astating /erdi)t +or the 0ournalists and their +amilies, and )an only harm
the e++orts o+ the Egyptian go/ernment in its transition to demo)ra)y.
"here ha/e also been /ery serious Auestions raised o/er the +airness o+ the trial o+ the 0ournalists. "he right to a
+air trail is re)ognised by the 2ni/ersal 3e)laration o+ Human $ights, Arti)le 105 *nternational 6o/enant on
6i/il and 7oliti)al $ights, Arti)les 4, 145 and the A+ri)an 6harter on Human and 7eoples8 $ights, Arti)le !.
Egypt8s new 6onstitution also guarantees this right under Arti)le 49.
2
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M*,A appeals to the Egyptian go/ernment to release all imprisoned 0ournalists, both those who ha/e been
senten)ed and those awaiting trial, through ordering a re/iew the )ourt8s de)ision. Be +urther besee)h you to
a)Auit those )on/i)ted, or issuing 7residential pardons.
Anthony Kasunda
Chairperson
Regional Governing Council
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Modise Maphanyane
6hairperson
MISA Botswana
%inda Caumann
6hairperson
MISA Namiia
Ale(andre >eto ,olombe
6hairperson
MISA Angola
"siu "siu
6hairperson
MISA !esotho
Ale) %ushaba
6hairperson
MISA Swa"iland
$aymond %ouw
6hairperson
MISA South Africa
Mohammed "ibanyendera
>D6 Member
MISA #an"ania
>0abulo >)ube
6hairperson
MISA $imawe
1ernando DonEal/es
>D6 Member
MISA #an"ania
Anthony Fasunda
6hairperson
MISA Malawi
Helen Mwale
6hairperson
MISA $amia

Information for editors: MISA is a non-governmental organisation with members in 11 of the Southern Africa Development Community SADC!
countries" #fficially launched in September 1$$%& MISA focuses primarily on the need to promote free& independent and pluralistic media& as
envisaged in the 1$$1 'indhoe( Declaration" MISA see(s ways in which to promote the free flow of information and co-operation between
media wor(ers& as a principal means of nurturing democracy and human rights in Africa"
EnAuiries? GoH "itus
$egional 3ire)tor
Media *nstitute o+ ,outhern A+ri)a
7ri/ate Cag 1&&I9, Bindhoe#, >amibia
"el? J 294 91 2&24!:
1a(? J294 91 24I019
E-mail? KoeLmisa.org