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A cameraman for Al-Yemen TV, Abd Al-Ghani Al-Bureihi, was killed when Yemeni security forces opened fire at a demonstration in Sanaa calling for the president to step down on 16 October. Two other cameramen were also allegedly injured at the same demonstration, including Salah Al-Hatar of Al-Jazeera.
Egyptian police raided the offices of Al Jazeera yesterday, for the second time in a month. Around 25 plain clothed police officers stormed the affiliate office, detaining journalist Mohamed Suleiman and roughing up other members of staff. The officers broke down the front door of the office, claiming they had a warrant, which they later failed to present. They also seized staff identification cards and confiscated office equipment. Suleiman was released a few hours after the raid. Police also raided the channel’s former office on 11 September, when they detained an engineer and shut down live broadcasts on the channel.
Military rulers in Egypt have frozen licenses for new private satellite TV stations, claiming they are inciting violence in an “increasingly chaotic media scene.” Activists are claiming that these restrictions on freedom of expression are similar to those put in place under President Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak’s previous governments had imprisoned journalists for their coverage of his health and other sensitive issues. During the protests that led to Mubarak’s downfall, authorities banned Al-Jazeera TV and revoked the press credentials of its journalists. Communication Minister Osama Heikal said the freeze was temporary.
Al Jazeera’s Kabul bureau chief has been brought before an Israeli military court a week after he was arrested and detained by Israeli officials. Al Jazeera reported that Samer Allawi was yesterday charged with being a member of Hamas. He was arrested on 10 August, while crossing the border between Jordan and the West Bank. He was attempting to return to the Afghan capital Kabul after a three-week holiday in his hometown of Nablus.