Press Freedom

Egypt August 15. 2013

General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
and Minister of Defense
c/o Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court, N.W.
Washington, DC  20008
Fax: (202) 244.5131

Dear General El-Sisi:

The blood on the streets and squares of Egypt have sent shock waves around the world.  It is not the role of the Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) to express opprobrium for the politics and policies at the heart of your country’s current roils.  However, we are appalled at the deaths of several journalists and persistent reports of the targeting of reporters tasked with gathering information about recent events.

We demand that the Egyptian military and security forces foreswear any new threats to journalists assigned to shed light on the crisis in your county.  Furthermore, we urge you to take specific efforts to protect these reporter and correspondents – regardless of nationality – as they pursue the complicated truths that have emerged during this time of troubles.

It is critical that journalists be allowed to do their job.  Only with clarity can chaos be dissipated.  Only with a full airing of the plight of the Egyptian people – of all political allegiances – can disaster be averted.

Very truly yours,

Howard Chua-Eoan, Chairman Freedom of the Press Committee
Michael S. Serrill, President Overseas Press Club of America

cc:

Ambassador of Egypt to the U.S.A.
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court, N.W.
Washington, DC  20008
Fax:  (202) 244.5131

Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt
to the United Nations
304 East 44 Street
New York, NY  10017
Fax: (212) 949.5999

Maria Otero
Under Secretary of State for Democracy
and Global Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC  20520