Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) the present: Film Screening: ‘Under Threat’. Watch the trailer here.

Discussion: As Election Nears, Egyptian Press in Peril

CPJ Blog: Don’t let al-Sisi’s government have Egypt’s last word

Thursday, November 6, 2014
12:00 – 2:00 PM
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Root Room, Second Floor

Washington, DC 20036

A light lunch will be served.

Six journalists have been killed and dozens detained since the Egyptian military took power in July 2013. Most have been released. Egypt is holding at least 11 journalists behind bars, three of whom are affiliated with Al-Jazeera.

In his September speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said his “new Egypt” would “guarantee freedom of speech.” Al-Sisi also met for the first time with U.S. President Barack Obama, who reportedly raised the issue of jailed journalists in Egypt.

In mid-October, as Egypt prepares to elect a new parliament later this year, the Carter Center, an Atlanta-based human rights organization, closed its Cairo office. The center said that NGO restrictions and the absence of freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, among other issues, were “not conducive to genuine democratic elections and civic participation.” Without these freedoms present, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry cannot credibly certify to Congress that Egypt should continue to receive aid.

How does the environment for the 2014 election compare with that of previous elections in Egypt? To what extent can the U.S. push back on al-Sisi’s government abuses against the press? And what would be the priority issues that could tangibly guarantee a free and open press and allow necessary debate ahead of the elections?

Please join POMED and CPJ for a timely discussion and the screening of a short documentary, “Under Threat,” a joint production of CPJ and Egyptian See Media production, at the beginning of the event. To view a trailer for the documentary, click here.

Michele Dunne

Senior Associate, Middle East Program,
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Muhammed Mansour

Freelance Journalist,
Egypt Independent

Sherif Mansour
MENA Program Coordinator,
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Stephen McInerney
Executive Director,
Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED)

Follow the conversation online (@POMEDWire and @CPJMENA) using #EgyptLastWord.

Click here to RSVP for the event.