Egypt detains journalist, assaults another

New York, November 24, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Egyptian authorities to release U.S.-Egyptian documentary filmmaker Jehan Nujaim detained in Cairo on Wednesday, and investigate the arrest and beating of columnist Mona Eltahawy.

“Filming is not a crime and authorities must release Nujaim immediately,” said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. “The military and the police must stop using physical violence and detention to silence or intimidate journalists. We also urge prosecutors to credibly investigate the assault on Eltahawy and other journalists over the past week.”

CPJ documented 17 assaults on journalists on Sunday and Monday.