Mohamed Fahmy
| Mohamed Fahmy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mohamed Fadel Fahmy April 27, 1974 Cairo, Egypt |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Alma mater | City University of Seattle (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Journalist, Author |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Notable credit(s) | CNN Freedom Project "Death in the Desert" "Egyptian Freedom Story" |
Mohamed Fadel Fahmy (Arabic: محمد فاضل فهمى pronounced [mæˈħæmmæd ˈfɑːdˤel ˈfæhmi]; born April 27, 1974) is an Egyptian-born Canadian award-winning journalist and author. Fahmy has worked extensively in the Middle East, mostly for CNN. He covered the Iraq War in 2003 for the Los Angeles Times and entered Iraq on the first day of the war. Upon completion of his one-year mission, he authored his first book, Baghdad Bound. Most recently, he covered the Arab Spring. In September 2013, he accepted a new post as the Al Jazeera English International Bureau Chief based in Egypt.
On 29 December 2013, he and two other Al Jazeera English journalists, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed, were arrested by Egyptian authorities. On 23 June 2014, Fahmy was found guilty by Cairo Criminal Court and sentenced to 7 years of incarceration at the Tora Prison, a maximum security prison.[1]
On 1 January 2015 the Appeals Court announced a retrial for Fahmy, Mohamed and Greste. Release on bail was not allowed. He renounced his Egyptian citizenship on 3 February 2015.[2] On 12 February 2015 both Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were released on bail.[3] On 29 August 2015, Fahmy, Mohamed and Greste each received three year sentences from the retrial judge.[4] On 23 September 2015, it was reported that Fahmy was pardoned by Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.[5] In a BBC HARDtalk interview shortly after his release, he criticized Al Jazeera English's decision to take the Egyptian government to court for cancelling its network license.[6] He also confirmed that he is suing Al Jazeera English for "100 million dollars" for "damages."[7]
Contents
Early life and background[edit]
Mohamed Fadel Fahmy was born in Cairo, Egypt. He spent his early childhood in Kuwait. In 1988 he moved with his family to Montreal, Canada.[8] Fahmy studied at LaSalle College in Montreal and then at the Vancouver, Canada, campus of City University of Seattle.[8]
On 3 February 2015, Fahmy renounced his Egyptian citizenship; at the time, he held dual Egyptian-Canadian citizenship.[2]
On 29 August 2015, Fahmy's sentence was reduced by Judge Hassan Farid of the Egyptian Court of Cassation to three years.[4]
Career[edit]
Early career[edit]
| This section requires expansion. (September 2015) |
2011 Egyptian Revolution[edit]
Fahmy reported live from the scene of the Israeli Embassy attack in Cairo in September 2011 and saved an American PBS NewsHour crew and senior correspondent Margaret Warner from a mob attack while covering the embassy attack.[9]
He authored "Egyptian Freedom Story"[10] in 2011 which included 200 photos to document the January 25th Revolution.
A Peabody Award was granted to Fahmy in 2011 for his contribution to the CNN coverage of the Arab Spring.[11]
Other Accomplishments[edit]
He received the Tom Renner Investigative Reporting Award in 2011 for producing Death in the Desert broadcast on the CNN Freedom Project program. The film was singled out from 450 entries after it highlighted the magnitude of the illegal human trafficking operations run by gangs in the Sinai who kidnap and torture Sub-Saharan Africans looking to immigrate to Israel through Sinai.[12]
Al Jazeera English[edit]
On 2 February 2015, it was reported that he would renounce his Egyptian Citizenship so he could fit the Foreign-Pardon law and be deported to his Canada, where he is a citizen.[13] As part of a gambit to escape his prison sentence, he renounced his Egyptian citizenship on 3 February 2015.[2]
On 5 May 2015 Mohamed Fahmy sued Al-Jazeera for $100 million Canadian dollars ($83m; £53m) in a British Columbia court. The punitive and remedial damages are demanded for alleged negligence and breach of contract. He accuses the network of "negligence" by misinforming him about its legal status and their safety in Egypt. His lawyer in the suit is Joanna Gislason.[14][15]
Egyptian trial[edit]
On 20 February 2014, Fahmy plead not guilty and described his prison conditions as “psychologically unbearable.”[16]
World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2014 coincided with Fahmy's appearance in court. He was allowed out of the cage to explain the nature of journalism to the judge. He reminded judge Nagy Shehata that ; "the world is watching" and asked for bail. His request was overruled after the judge wished him and his colleagues a "Happy Press Freedom Day"[17]
Fahmy addressed the court in an emotional plea on June 16 and once again denied the charges and said, " I wish there was a single shred of evidence so I could defend myself. And, even if there was, you would have to prove ill-intent"[18]
On June 23, 2014, the Cairo Criminal Court convicted the three journalists.[19] International news organisations called the trial a farce. US Secretary of State John Kerry was highly critical of the sentences of Fahmy and his co-workers, terming them "chilling and draconian" and noted he had spoken to Egyptian governmental officials including President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.[20] The Egyptian president, who later said that he wished the journalists had simply been deported,[15] the following day announced that he would not interfere with the judiciary. President al-Sisi said in a speech at the Military Academy graduation ceremony that he called Minister of Justice Mahfouz Saber and told him,[21]
| “ | We will not intervene in the affairs of the judiciary because it is independent. If we earnestly seek a state of institutions, we must respect judicial rulings. | ” |
On 23 July 2014, the judge in the case released his reasoning for the sentence, saying the Al-Jazeera journalists were brought together “by the devil” to destabilize Egypt.[16]
Telecommunication mogul and billionaire Naguib Sawiris alleged that Fahmy has no affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood. Sawiris even took his fury further and released a video calling on president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to release Fahmy.[21]
His lawyer Amal Clooney called the judicial process a "show-trial" in her 18 August 2014 op-ed for the Huffington Post.[22] She released several statements, including one on 24 November 2014 calling on the Egyptians to release her client, and urged the Qatari government and Al Jazeera to take positive steps to support his freedom and refrain from actions that hinder his cause.[23]
Retrial[edit]
The trio stood trial on 1 January 2015, before the Egyptian High Appellate court.[24] The court ordered a retrial for Fahmy and his two colleagues, while keeping them in custody.[25] On 2 February 2015, it was reported that he would renounce his Egyptian Citizenship so he could fit the Foreign-Pardon law and be deported to his Canada, where he is a citizen.[13] He renounced his Egyptian citizenship on 3 February 2015.[2] On 12 February 2015 Fahmy was released on bail of 250,000 Egyptian Pounds. Baher Mohamed was also released. The presiding judge adjourned proceedings until 23 February.[3]
On 29 August 2015, the Egyptian court sentenced Fahmy and Mohammad to three years in prison. They were found guilty of not registering with the country's Ministry of Culture, using central Cairo's Marriott hotel as a broadcasting point without permission,[26] bringing into Egypt equipment without security officials' approval,[27] and spreading false news.[28] His legal team included Amal Clooney, who was able to secure on 30 August an interview with CBC Television's The National reporter in Egypt, Derek Stoffel, in which she called for Stephen Harper to intervene on behalf of Fahmy, saying[29]
| “ | This is the most high-profile case of a Canadian abroad being imprisoned on sham charges. It's a dangerous precedent being set. It's a journalist who's going to prison for no reason... What needs to happen now, in my view, is very high-level engagement by the government of Canada and that means Prime Minister Harper engaging directly with President Sisi. If I were a Canadian citizen, I would want to see my prime minister now showing leadership on the global stage. | ” |
The ambassador in Egypt for the UK, John Casson, was disciplined by the Egyptian foreign ministry over his "unacceptable interference" in the affair, made in Arabic outside the court, on Facebook and on Twitter.[30][26] The interference was deemed "incompatible with diplomatic norms and practices", and a spokesman "rejects any foreign criticism of judicial verdicts."[26] Casson said the court's decision would "undermine confidence in Egypt's stability" although it was not immediately apparent why this should be the case. In the original trial, two al-Jazeera journalists from Britain, Sue Turton and Dominic Kane, had been tried and found guilty in absentia. Amal Clooney orchestrated another television interview for the benefit of British viewers.[30][26][27] Clooney was to appear with the Canadian ambassador to Egypt, Troy Lulashnyk, to pressure Egyptian officials for a presidential pardon.[26]
In the context of the 2015 Federal election in Canada, Justin Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Tom Mulcair, the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada both tweeted their support of Fahmy and attacked Harper.[31] Each of the opposition foreign affairs critics called for firm action: NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Paul Dewar said,[31]
| “ | Very concretely, we are asking Stephen Harper to put aside the election campaign for a moment and call President al-Sisi directly and ask him to send Mr. Fahmy home. | ” |
while Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic Marc Garneau stated that Harper should contact el-Sissi and[31]
| “ | ...register Canada's strongest disapproval, and in fact to make it very clear that the relationship between Canada and Egypt, which has been a good one, is in jeopardy if Mr. Fahmy has to go back to jail. | ” |
Pardon[edit]
A presidential spokesman for Sisi announced on 23 September 2015 that Fahmy and Baher Mohamed had been pardoned and were slated for release. Sisi issued the pardons ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday and festival.[32]
Fahmy flew out from Cairo and left on a flight from London for Toronto on October 6, 2015.[33]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Rose, Aaron T. "Update: Harsh sentences for Al Jazeera journalists". Daily News Egypt.
- ^ a b c d "Al Jazeera's Fahmy renounces Egyptian citizenship". Al Jazeera English. 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
- ^ a b "Al Jazeera trial: Egypt court frees journalists on bail". BBC.
- ^ a b cbc.ca: "Mohamed Fahmy, 2 other Al-Jazeera journalists sentenced to 3 years in prison", 29 Aug 2015
- ^ "Mohamed Fahmy, Canadian journalist, pardoned by Egyptian president". CBC.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06f3css/hardtalk-mohamed-fahmy
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06f3css/hardtalk-mohamed-fahmy
- ^ a b Sherif Fahmy, "Canada can’t remain quiet about my brother Mohamed", Globe and Mail (July 16, 2014).
- ^ "Mohamed Fahmy: Journalist, Habs fan, prisoner". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ "Egypt’s ‘Freedom Story’ in the making". The Daily News Egypt.
- ^ "Mohamed Fadel Fahmy (@MFFahmy11)". Mohamed Fadel Fahmy's Twitter account.
- ^ "2011 IRE Award winners". ire.org. Investigative Reporters and Editors. 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Uncertainty remains over 2 imprisoned Al Jazeera journalists". Daily News Egypt.
- ^ "Journalist Fahmy to sue Al-Jazeera for Egypt 'negligence'". bbc.com. Cairo: BBC. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ a b Stephen Kalin, Yara Bayoumy, Michael Georgy and Larry King (11 May 2015). "Al Jazeera journalist sues employer for negligence — lawyer". uk.reuters.com. Cairo: Reuters. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ a b Grzincic, Natasha (3 Feb 2015). "Egypt's jailing of Mohamed Fahmy: A timeline". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
- ^ Abid, Rubab (3 May 2014). "Family of jailed Egyptian-Canadian journalist 'disappointed' after bail denied again". ctvnew.ca.
- ^ El Deeb, Sarah (31 March 2014). "Canadian journalist asks Egyptian judge to free him: ‘I ask for acquittal’". The Star.
- ^ Loveluck, Louisa. "David Cameron 'appalled' as Egypt sentences Al Jazeera journalists to seven years in prison". The Telegraph.
- ^ "Secretary Kerry: Prison sentences for Al Jazeera reporters 'deeply disturbing set-back' for Egypt". Big News Network. 23 June 2014.
- ^ a b "Sawiris calls for release of AJ journalist". The Cairo Post. Youm7.
- ^ Alamuddin, Amal (18 August 2014). "Anatomy of an Unfair Trial". Huffington Post.
- ^ A. Clooney, M Wassouf. "Press Statement by A Clooney and M Wassouf — Mr Mohamed Fahmy". Doughty Street Chambers. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Egypt sets appeal date for Al Jazeera staff". Al Jazeera International. October 22, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
- ^ "Peter Greste: Appeals court in Egypt orders retrial in case of Australian journalist". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 1, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
An Egyptian appeals court has ordered a retrial in the case of Australian journalist Peter Greste and two of his Al Jazeera colleagues.
- ^ a b c d e yahoo.com: "Egypt summons British ambassador over Al-Jazeera comments" (AP), 30 Aug 2015
- ^ a b haaretz.com: "UK Ambassador Summoned by Egypt Over Criticism of Sentencing of Al-Jazeera Journalists", 29 Aug 2015
- ^ Associated Press (29 August 2015). "Mohamed Fahmy, 2 other Al-Jazeera journalists, sentenced to 3 years in prison". CBC News. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- ^ cbc.ca: "Mohamed Fahmy's lawyer Amal Clooney says Canada has formally applied for a pardon", 30 Aug 2015
- ^ a b bbc.com: "Egypt summons UK ambassador over al-Jazeera trial remarks", 30 Aug 2015
- ^ a b c cbc.ca: "Mohamed Fahmy case: NDP, Liberals say Harper should do more to free jailed journalist", 30 Aug 2015
- ^ "Egypt pardons Al Jazeera journalists Fahmy and Mohamed". BBC News. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/10/06/fahmy-out-of-egypt-on-his-way-home.html