When three journalists for Al Jazeera’s English service were brought into an Egyptian court Wednesday, they were held in cages, a shocking image that prompted reactions including “disturbing,” “heartbreaking” and “rocked.”
Al Jazeera tweeted this photo showing their staffers in court, not only held in cages, but also separated from the legal teams by rows of security personnel:
They are facing charges of allegedly being members of and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood and endangering national security. Getty Images published more photos of the scene:
Australian journalist Peter Greste of Al-Jazeera looks on standing inside the defendants cage during his trial for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood at Cairo’s Tora prison on March 5, 2014. The high-profile case that sparked a global outcry over muzzling of the press is seen as a test of the military-installed government’s tolerance of independent media, with activists fearing a return to autocracy three years after the Arab Spring uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. (Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images)
Australian journalist Peter Greste (3-L) of Al-Jazeera and his colleagues stand inside the defendants cage during their trial. (Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images)
These are not the first defendants to be held in cages in Egyptian trials, as was ousted Muslim Brotherhood-linked President Mohammed Morsi and his predecessor Hosni Mubarak. Still, the image of journalists being held in cages has evoked wide sympathy from other reporters as reflected in these comments posted on Twitter:
Very disturbing to see photos of @PeterGreste @Repent11 and others in cage at court in Egypt. #pressfreedom
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