'This isn't about the three of us...our case has become emblematic of the freedom of the Press worldwide'
- Peter Greste's message from jail for World Press Freedom Day
This is Peter Greste. He has been in prison in Cairo since December 29. Today he appeared in court for the seventh time and was again remanded in custody. He is accused, along with two Al Jazeera English colleagues, of distorting news reports to favour the Muslim Brotherhood, which supports the ousted President Morsi. Two other Al Jazeera journalists have been imprisoned since August and one has been on hunger strike for nearly four months.
Greste has received more publicity in Britain than his colleagues because of his work for CNN and the BBC. In Canada Mohamad Fahey has just been awarded the press freedom prize. He has given the C$2,000 prize money to the family of an Egyptian journalist killed at a protest last month. Read more about the Al-Jazeera case here
The video below shows Greste's father reading the journalist's statement from Tora jail to mark World Press Freedom Day.
Greste has received more publicity in Britain than his colleagues because of his work for CNN and the BBC. In Canada Mohamad Fahey has just been awarded the press freedom prize. He has given the C$2,000 prize money to the family of an Egyptian journalist killed at a protest last month. Read more about the Al-Jazeera case here
The video below shows Greste's father reading the journalist's statement from Tora jail to mark World Press Freedom Day.
Freedom prize winners
The Turkish journalist Ahmet Sik was yesterday awarded the $25,000 World Press Freedom prize. The citation says that he is an ardent defender of freedom of expression who has devoted his career to denouncing corruption and human rights abuses.
He was arrested and detained in March 2011 on charges of being linked to Ergenekon, an alleged terrorist organisation, and is still awaiting trial. If convicted he could face 15 years in jail.
He has been on bail since March 2012 and is continuing his work.
He was arrested and detained in March 2011 on charges of being linked to Ergenekon, an alleged terrorist organisation, and is still awaiting trial. If convicted he could face 15 years in jail.
He has been on bail since March 2012 and is continuing his work.
Mohamed Fahmy has been awarded Canada's World Press Freedom prize in recognition of his battle for free speech since his arrest in December. He has donated the C$2,000 prize to the family of Mayada Ashraf, an Egyptian journalist who was shot dead at a protest last month.
Fahmy appeared in court in Cairo with Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed today and was again remanded in custody.
Fahmy appeared in court in Cairo with Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed today and was again remanded in custody.
The roll call, 2014
20 journalists and media assistants killed because of their work
January 9 Mohamed Abdul AlGhani Najjar, SNN, Syria
January 10 Santiago Ilídio Andrade, Bandeirantes, Brazil
January 17 Khalid Khan, Express News, Pakistan
January 17 Ashraf Yusuf Express News, Pakistan
January 17 Waqas Aziz Express News, Pakistan
January 20 Firas Mohammed Attiyah Freelance reporter, Fallujah TV, Iraq
February 11 Gregorio Jiménez de la Cruz, Notisur, Liberal del Sur, Mexico
February 16 Germain Kennedy Mumbere Muliwavyo Radio Télévision Muungano d’Oïcha, DRC
February 19 Vyacheslav Veremyi, Vesti, Ukraine
February 19 Yonni Steven Caicedo - TV Noticias, Colombia
February 20 Mouaz Muhi Eddin Al-Khaled - Media activist, Syria
February 20 Trad Muhamed Al-Zhuri - Media activist, Syria
March 9 Omar Abdelqader cameraman for Al-Mayadeen TV Channel, Syria
March 9 Ali Mustafa freelance journalist, Syria
March 11 Nils Horner Sveriges Radio, Afghanistan
March 28 Mayada Ashraf, Al-Dostour/ Masr Al-Arabiya, Egypt
April 11 Carlos Mejía Orellana Radio Progreso, Honduras
April 14 Anja Niedringhaus AP, Afghanistan
April 14 Mohamed Mantash Al-Manar TV, Syria
April 14 Hamza Hajj Hassan Al-Manar TV, Syria
April 14 Halim Allaw, Al-Manar TV, Syria
May 13 Camille Leparge, freelance photojournalist, Central African Republic
By country:
Syria 8, Pakistan 3, Afghanistan 2, Brazil, Central African Republic, Colombia, DRC, Egypt, Iraq, Honduras, Mexico, Ukraine 1
Source: Reporters Sans Frontières*
*Others have different figures, RSF lists only those proven to have died in the course of their work
January 10 Santiago Ilídio Andrade, Bandeirantes, Brazil
January 17 Khalid Khan, Express News, Pakistan
January 17 Ashraf Yusuf Express News, Pakistan
January 17 Waqas Aziz Express News, Pakistan
January 20 Firas Mohammed Attiyah Freelance reporter, Fallujah TV, Iraq
February 11 Gregorio Jiménez de la Cruz, Notisur, Liberal del Sur, Mexico
February 16 Germain Kennedy Mumbere Muliwavyo Radio Télévision Muungano d’Oïcha, DRC
February 19 Vyacheslav Veremyi, Vesti, Ukraine
February 19 Yonni Steven Caicedo - TV Noticias, Colombia
February 20 Mouaz Muhi Eddin Al-Khaled - Media activist, Syria
February 20 Trad Muhamed Al-Zhuri - Media activist, Syria
March 9 Omar Abdelqader cameraman for Al-Mayadeen TV Channel, Syria
March 9 Ali Mustafa freelance journalist, Syria
March 11 Nils Horner Sveriges Radio, Afghanistan
March 28 Mayada Ashraf, Al-Dostour/ Masr Al-Arabiya, Egypt
April 11 Carlos Mejía Orellana Radio Progreso, Honduras
April 14 Anja Niedringhaus AP, Afghanistan
April 14 Mohamed Mantash Al-Manar TV, Syria
April 14 Hamza Hajj Hassan Al-Manar TV, Syria
April 14 Halim Allaw, Al-Manar TV, Syria
May 13 Camille Leparge, freelance photojournalist, Central African Republic
By country:
Syria 8, Pakistan 3, Afghanistan 2, Brazil, Central African Republic, Colombia, DRC, Egypt, Iraq, Honduras, Mexico, Ukraine 1
Source: Reporters Sans Frontières*
*Others have different figures, RSF lists only those proven to have died in the course of their work
...and some of their stories
Santiago Ilídio Andrade, 49, Brazil
Hit in the head with a flare while covering protests over bus fare increases in Rio. After four days in a coma he was declared brain dead. His daughter Vanessa, a 29-year-old journalist, was with him when he died. She wrote:"I asked forgiveness for all my mistakes and promised to keep my head held high and take care of my mother and my grandparents."
Khalid Khan, Ashraf Yusuf, Waqas Aziz, Pakistan
A driver, security guard and technician were sitting with a camerman in an Express News van on a routine assignment in Nazimabad when four gunmen rode up on motorcycles and opened fire, killing the three and wounding the cameraman. Police found 17 pistol shell casings at the scene. The Taleban group TTP admitted responsibility.
Firas Mohammed Attiyah, 28, Iraq
Freelance reporter with Fallujah TV killed by a bomb aimed at police in Khaldiyah. Muayad Ibrahim, a freelance reporter for Al-Anbar TV, was wounded in the blast which also killed two policemen and wounded two others.
Hit in the head with a flare while covering protests over bus fare increases in Rio. After four days in a coma he was declared brain dead. His daughter Vanessa, a 29-year-old journalist, was with him when he died. She wrote:"I asked forgiveness for all my mistakes and promised to keep my head held high and take care of my mother and my grandparents."
Khalid Khan, Ashraf Yusuf, Waqas Aziz, Pakistan
A driver, security guard and technician were sitting with a camerman in an Express News van on a routine assignment in Nazimabad when four gunmen rode up on motorcycles and opened fire, killing the three and wounding the cameraman. Police found 17 pistol shell casings at the scene. The Taleban group TTP admitted responsibility.
Firas Mohammed Attiyah, 28, Iraq
Freelance reporter with Fallujah TV killed by a bomb aimed at police in Khaldiyah. Muayad Ibrahim, a freelance reporter for Al-Anbar TV, was wounded in the blast which also killed two policemen and wounded two others.
Gregorio Jiménez de la Cruz, Mexico
Crime reporter abducted from his home in Veracruz after dropping his children off at school on February 5. His body was found buried with two other people a week later. One of the other bodies was that of a union leader whose kidnapping Jiménez had been covering. Read more on his case here
Germain Kennedy Mumbere Muliwavyo, 28, Democratic Republic of Congo
Radio reporter was travelling with Congolese troops to Kamango village when Ugandan rebel fighters ambushed their car. Muliwavyo was shot in the head and stomach. Two other journalists also in the car were injured.
Crime reporter abducted from his home in Veracruz after dropping his children off at school on February 5. His body was found buried with two other people a week later. One of the other bodies was that of a union leader whose kidnapping Jiménez had been covering. Read more on his case here
Germain Kennedy Mumbere Muliwavyo, 28, Democratic Republic of Congo
Radio reporter was travelling with Congolese troops to Kamango village when Ugandan rebel fighters ambushed their car. Muliwavyo was shot in the head and stomach. Two other journalists also in the car were injured.
Vyacheslav Veremyi, 33, Ukraine
Reporter with the pro-government Vremya newspaper was on his way home from work in Kiev when his taxi was hijacked at traffic lights half a mile from Independence Square during the riots. Veremyi, a colleague and the driver were pulled from the car and beaten up.
The reporter died from a gunshot wound in his stomach.
Yonni Steven Caicedo, 21, Colombia
Television cameraman killed by two gunman in Buenaventura. He had received death threats after trying to film after a murder. He left the area on police advice but had recently returned.
Reporter with the pro-government Vremya newspaper was on his way home from work in Kiev when his taxi was hijacked at traffic lights half a mile from Independence Square during the riots. Veremyi, a colleague and the driver were pulled from the car and beaten up.
The reporter died from a gunshot wound in his stomach.
Yonni Steven Caicedo, 21, Colombia
Television cameraman killed by two gunman in Buenaventura. He had received death threats after trying to film after a murder. He left the area on police advice but had recently returned.
Omar Abdelqader, 27, Syria
Lebanese cameraman shot in the neck on his birthday by a sniper while he was filming government forces advancing on an area in the
rebel-held city of Deir al-Zor. He worked for the Beirut-based
Al-Mayadeen station, which supports President Assad.
Ali Mustafa, 29, Syria
Canadian photojournalist killed by a barrel bomb dropped by a helicopter in Aleppo as he was gathering information on the damage caused by the bombs - barrels packed with explosives and scrap metal. Fourteen other people died and dozens were wounded in the attack. Interviewed last year about his decision to work in Syria he said: "I could not ignore this ongoing human tragedy. Syrian people feel abandoned by the world. They are asking for our solidarity."
Lebanese cameraman shot in the neck on his birthday by a sniper while he was filming government forces advancing on an area in the
rebel-held city of Deir al-Zor. He worked for the Beirut-based
Al-Mayadeen station, which supports President Assad.
Ali Mustafa, 29, Syria
Canadian photojournalist killed by a barrel bomb dropped by a helicopter in Aleppo as he was gathering information on the damage caused by the bombs - barrels packed with explosives and scrap metal. Fourteen other people died and dozens were wounded in the attack. Interviewed last year about his decision to work in Syria he said: "I could not ignore this ongoing human tragedy. Syrian people feel abandoned by the world. They are asking for our solidarity."
Nils Horner, 51, Afghanistan
Swedish radio reporter shot in the head by two men on foot as he got out of his car in the diplomatic area of Kabul. He had arrived in the city two days earlier. The Fidai Taleban splinter group said it had killed Horner because "he was not a journalist, he was a spy of MI6".
Swedish radio reporter shot in the head by two men on foot as he got out of his car in the diplomatic area of Kabul. He had arrived in the city two days earlier. The Fidai Taleban splinter group said it had killed Horner because "he was not a journalist, he was a spy of MI6".
Mayada Ashraf, 22, Egypt
Reporter shot while covering anti-coup protests. Egyptian media reported that she had been killed by protesters demonstrating in support of the deposed President Morsi, but bystanders say she was shot by a police snipers who killed three protesters at the same time.
Carlos Mejía Orellana, 35, Honduras
Radio presenter stabbed in the chest four times at his home in El Progreso. He was a human rights lawyer who worked for the Jesuit-backed ERIC-RP station. He and colleagues had received numerous death threats for challenging the government since the 2009 presidential coup and international organisations had asked that he be given special protection.
Reporter shot while covering anti-coup protests. Egyptian media reported that she had been killed by protesters demonstrating in support of the deposed President Morsi, but bystanders say she was shot by a police snipers who killed three protesters at the same time.
Carlos Mejía Orellana, 35, Honduras
Radio presenter stabbed in the chest four times at his home in El Progreso. He was a human rights lawyer who worked for the Jesuit-backed ERIC-RP station. He and colleagues had received numerous death threats for challenging the government since the 2009 presidential coup and international organisations had asked that he be given special protection.
Anja Niedringhaus, 48, Afghanistan
German photojournalist shot by a policeman while waiting in a convoy delivering ballot papers for the presidential election. The officer was immediately detained. Niedringhaus was one of 11 AP photographers to share a 2005 Pulitzer prize for their coverage of the Iraq war.
German photojournalist shot by a policeman while waiting in a convoy delivering ballot papers for the presidential election. The officer was immediately detained. Niedringhaus was one of 11 AP photographers to share a 2005 Pulitzer prize for their coverage of the Iraq war.
Hamza Al-Hajj Hassan, Halim Allaw, Mohamed Mantash, Syria
Reporter, technician and cameraman with the Lebanese Hezbollah Al-Manah TV station killed covering clashes in Syria. They were declared martyrs and hundreds attended their funerals.
Reporter, technician and cameraman with the Lebanese Hezbollah Al-Manah TV station killed covering clashes in Syria. They were declared martyrs and hundreds attended their funerals.
Camille Lepage, 26, Central African Republic
French photojournalist killed while travelling with the mostly Christian anti-balaka militias. She had been working in South Sudan since graduating from Southampton Solent University in 2012 but was in the Central African Republic for a new project.
French photojournalist killed while travelling with the mostly Christian anti-balaka militias. She had been working in South Sudan since graduating from Southampton Solent University in 2012 but was in the Central African Republic for a new project.
182 journalists and media staff in jail
|
Imprisoned this year:
Last year
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1996
1995
1983
|
|
Useful websites
Read SubScribe on Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed
Plus Greste's prison blog Plus Greste's award Plus Storify of their last court appearance (new one coming for today later) 
Journalists held hostage
Seven journalists - four Frenchmen and three Spaniards - who had been held hostage in Syria for months have been released in the past few weeks, but many more are still in captivity around the world.
At the end of last year Reporters without Borders calculated that 37 journalists had disappeared, been kidnapped or were being held hostage, including the seven recently released. 
The missing include the American photographer James Foley, above, who disappeared in Syria in November 2012. It is thought that he may be being held with another American, Austin Tice, below, who went missing from his home in Damascus the previous August.
A week after Tice disappeared, the Jordanian reporter Bashar Fahmi Al-Kadumi also vanished and was thought to be being held by Assad government forces, along with a Turkish cameraman Cüneyt Ünal. Unal was released at the end of the year. The other three are still missing.
Several of the journalists on the RSF list are believed to be dead. They include the Frenchman Fred Nérac who went missing in Iraq in 2003 and was declared dead in 2005. Journalists missing, in jail or being held hostage by country
China 33, Eritrea 28, Iran 18, Syria 36, Turkey 13, Uzbekistan 9, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Ethiopia 6, Burma, Egypt, 5, Eritrea 4, Laos, Mexico 3; Saudi Arabia, Cuba, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia, Vietnam, Kenya 2; Swaziland, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Rwanda, Libya, Kuwait, Gambia, Djibouti, Argentina, DRC, US 1. |
Today in court
|
|
On behalf of the Greste family i would like to thank the world community for the ongoing support and encouragement. It means a lot #ajtrial
— A_Greste (@AlisterGreste) May 3, 2014
