After four months behind bars one of three Al Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt has issued a moving letter addressed to the world’s press.
Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste remain behind bars for no other reason (apparently) than they were doing their jobs.
So far the Egyptian authorities appear to be impervious to international outrage and the fact that Al Jazeera has sued them for £150m.
In the letter, obtained by Al Jazeera, Mohamed writes:
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I’d like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the extraordinary efforts of the campaigners who are fighting for freedom of expression and the release of the three of us — “Peter, Fahmy and Baher.” Every time I hear of all that is being done for us, I feel humbled. But it also makes me confident that the fight for freedom of expression will never be abandoned…
When I was covering the conflict in Libya, I came to see that journalists are not just reporting the news — they are truth-seekers, diplomats of the fighters of right. What we do is a noble job that carries great responsibility — we were truly enlightening the world with our reporting. Imagine for a moment what would happen if we stopped working with courage, if we abandoned our integrity, gave up our independence and freedom. It would leave the world a far more ignorant place, with dictators free to take advantage and flourish.
Read a full transcript here on Buzzfeed.
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