Rita Payne and Kevin Sampson demand immediate release of jailed-Al-Jazeera journalists

London: International President Commonwealth Journalists Association Ms Rita Payne and her former BBC colleague Kevin Sampson delivered a protest letter to the Egyptian embassy as an Egyptian court sentenced three Al Jazeera journalists to jail terms ranging from seven to 10 years after accusing them of aiding the Muslim Brotherhood and reporting false news. Australian Peter Greste and Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fadel Fahmy were sentenced to seven years, while producer Baher Mohamed received two sentences, one for seven years and another for three years.
The three Al Jazeera journalists were arrested in December 2013 and have been in prison ever since. Other Al Jazeera journalists – Alaa Bayoumi, Anas Abdel-Wahab Khalawi Hasan, Khaleel Aly Khaleel Bahnasy, Mohamed Fawzi, Dominic Kane and Sue Turton – were sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison.
Commonwealth Journalists Association has been following this case and campaigning for their release, and has been shocked by the incompetence displayed throughout court proceedings,said Ms Rita Payne.She told RMNP that we have expressed our solidarity with jailed Al-Jazeera journalists and their families in this difficult time and we will continue to support the campaign calling for their immediate release.
International President CJA further informed that The Ambassador’s PA received the protest letter and assured hem that the letter would be passed on to her boss who was “in a meeting”. Kevin asked a policeman on duty outside the embassy to take a photo of him and Rita holding the duplicate letter. The ambassador’s PA declined an invitation to be in the photo..