CAIRO: Egyptian police were holding three foreign workers of Al Jazeera television’s English channel for a fourth day yesterday, an executive of the broadcaster said, adding they had also seized equipment belonging to the Qatar-based channel’s Egypt affiliate.
Correspondent Wayne Haye, from New Zealand; South African cameraman Adil Bradlow and Irish producer Russ Finn remained in prison after their arrest on Tuesday on unclear charges, the executive said. They were freelancing for the channel when they were arrested.
The men do not appear to have had press accreditation at a time when authorities have made it increasingly difficult for visiting journalists to obtain it. On Thursday, Al Jazeera called on Egypt to release the trio. A statement said: “There has also been a campaign against Al Jazeera, in particular, as the channel’s offices were raided last month and security forces seized equipment which have not been returned yet.”
Police have also detained a correspondent for Al Jazeera’s Arabic channel, Abdullah Al Shami, and Mohamed Badr, a cameraman for its Egyptian affiliate, for more than a month. Yesterday, the Interior Ministry said police seized two vans with four cameras and transmission equipment belonging to Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr.
A ministry statement said the channel was “operating without any licences.” But the head of the channel, Ayman Gadallah, said it had received a permit to operate.
Agencies
