Ayman Mohyeldin is one of the many journalists held by the Egyptian authorities. An Arab-American, he is among the best TV journalists on any international channel. Gideon Levy, writing in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz two years ago said of him:
My war hero is Ayman Mohyeldin, the young correspondent for Al Jazeera English and the only foreign correspondent broadcasting during these awful days in a Gaza Strip closed off to the media. Al Jazeera English is not what you might think. It offers balanced, professional reporting from correspondents both in Sderot and Gaza. And Mohyeldin is the cherry on top of this journalistic cream.
UPDATE:
10:30pm [Egypt time] The Emmy-nominated Al Jazeera English correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin has been released by the Egyptian military
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Despite his release, there has been at least one reporter killed, the Al Jazeera bureau trashed and others arrested and harassed. I will leave this up i
You can see examples of Ayman's recent reporting on his blog on the Al Jazeera web site
Make it clear. Their detention under the 30 year "emergency" that gives the Egyptian thugs cover to detain and kill with impunity must cease immediately.
Not "after an orderly handover of power"
Not September.
Not after some show trial that the Egyptian junta has been setting up with its constant attacks on Al Jazeera.
Now, in the words of the State Department spokesman who appears to have been silenced himself, means yesterday.
My apologies for the somewhat scant and rushed nature of this diary. Any help to fill out a list of appropriate contacts would be greatly appreciated.