FCO Minister on pardoning of Al Jazeera journalists in Egypt
Minister for North Africa Tobias Ellwood welcomes Egyptian President Al-Sisi’s pardoning of journalists and human rights activists.
Speaking today Mr Ellwood said:
I welcome the President Al-Sisi’s pardoning of Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed, two Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to 3 years imprisonment in August. It is vital that the Egyptian authorities now move swiftly to resolve the situation of the other defendants in this case, including two British Nationals.
I also welcome the pardoning of a number of human rights activists, including Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif who had been sentenced under the Protest Law. The release of further peaceful activists would be another positive demonstration of President Al-Sisi’s commitment to the rights and freedoms of the Egyptian people.
We will continue to call on the Egyptian government to ensure the rule of law and rights enshrined in the Egyptian constitution are protected, so that journalists and peaceful activists are able to operate freely and without fear of persecution.
Further information
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