Video of Al Jazeera journalists’ arrest causes uproar

A 22-minute video depicting the interrogation and arrest of Al Jazeera journalists last December and aired exclusively on Al-Tahrir channel caused uproar, with most deeming it a violation of rights and criticizing the channel for broadcasting it.

The video shows Mohamed Fahmy, Al Jazeera’s English-language bureau chief,  and correspondent Peter Greste, two of the four Al Jazeera journalists arrested from the Marriott Hotel, as they are interrogated in the hotel room set to dramatic background music.

The footage, dubbed the “Marriott Cell,” continues to show laptops, external hard drives, notepads and copies of “Egyptian Freedom Story,” a book Fahmy authored following the January 25 uprising.

A voice behind the camera then asks Fahmy to count dollar bills that were in his possession and proceeds to ask him about his activity as an Al Jazeera journalist and when the last time he visited Qatar was.

Fahmy and Greste, along with another 18 Al Jazeera journalists, are accused of being part of a media network “that specialized in creating video scenes contrary to reality and airing them through Qatari Al Jazeera English and US CNN to distort Egypt’s international reputation.”

Adel Fahmy, Mohamed’s brother, says the video is “a blessing in disguise.”

He said his family was surprised to see the video on Sunday night and tried to call the show but were told that no phone-ins were allowed because the case is in court.

Fahmy told Mada Masr that the video was aired to stir public opinion against the journalists but that it will actually serve their interests.

He points to the legal violations in the video “that are clear to everyone,” where his brother is interrogated on camera during his arrest, adding that he answered the questions clearly nonetheless.

Fahmy added that the video, which he describes as “comical,” proves “to people with even half a brain that it is a ridiculous case with no basis and that my brother is far from these accusations.”

“As his family, we were distraught by the video at first, but then eventually we were actually happy because it will serve his interest,” Fahmy said.

Others, however, were outraged by the video.

On her Twitter account, prominent journalist Shahira Amin said the video of the arrests is “more harmful to Egypt's image than any ‘fabricated lies’ by foreign [journalists].”

“First Abla Fahita, now video showing laptops, mobile phones and a flipped toilet seat as a den of espionage,” she continued.

Independent journalist Sharif Abdel Kouddous, correspondent for Democracy Now, described the footage as “ludicrous,” adding that it is “shameful of Al-Tahrir channel to air.”

Prominent journalist Mona Anis described the video as disgusting and said that she is “ashamed” to have worked in the same institution with presenter Ahmed Moussa, who aired the video on his talk show.

On its part, Al Jazeera condemned the release of the video saying “the leak and dramatization of the footage betrays an attempt to demonize the journalists, and is the latest incident of incitement against the network.”

In a statement released Monday, Salah Negm, director of news for Al Jazeera English said, "If this video was deliberately leaked, it violates basic standards of justice. If it came out by mistake, the professionalism of the prosecution process is called into question."

"The video ridiculously sets images of our crew’s laptops, cameras and mobile phones against dramatic music. People who look beyond the propaganda though will see the video shows what we have been saying all along – that our crew were journalists doing their job," said Negm.

He denied that this is an issue of accreditation. “Them not having full paperwork from the authorities in no way justifies their ongoing incarceration and treatment. They should be released forthwith,” he said.

Last week, 20 journalists working for the Al Jazeera channels were referred by State Security Prosecution to criminal court on charges related to terrorism and media violations.

The defendants are referred to in the prosecution papers as the “Marriott Cell,” because they rented rooms at the Marriott Hotel in Zamalek, which was allegedly the base of a media center that collected and manipulated media footage to spread false information and rumors in the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mohamed Fahmy is described as “the chief of the media network, belonging to the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood.” Fahmy, who previously worked for CNN, is not named in the prosecution papers, but is referred to as “the Egyptian-Canadian.”

Following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi on July 3, the military-supported government detained dozens of local and international journalists, particularly those viewed as critical of the government or sympathetic to Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. Most of them were later released, the report said.