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Egypt expels British journalist in media crackdown ahead of elections.

A British journalist for The Times was arrested, threatened with trial in a military court and deported from Egypt, the newspaper said Saturday.

Bel Trew was detained by plain-clothes police in late February while doing an interview in a central Cairo cafe.

She was held for several hours without access to a lawyer or British diplomats, she said, and then told she could either get on a flight out of Egypt or face military prosecution.

“Less than 24 hours after I was first detained, I was marched on to a plane with nothing but the clothes I was standing up in. The choice before me — stay for a military trial or leave — was no kind of choice,” Ms Trew said in an article about her experience.

She was given no official reason for her expulsion.

Egypt’s government has severely cracked down on the media and independent Egyptian journalists are routinely harassed and jailed. But it is unusual for a foreign correspondent from a major Western outlet to be arrested.

The Times initially hoped that it was a misunderstanding that could be rectified in discussions with senior Egyptian officials.

“The circumstances of her detention and the threats made against her were sufficiently outlandish to suggest that a mistake had been made, based on a misunderstanding,” the newspaper said in a statement.

“It is now clear that the authorities have no intention of allowing her to return.

“The Times deplores this attempt by the Egyptian authorities to intimidate the media and suppress our coverage. This is sadly in line with the increasingly oppressive environment that President Sisi has created for both domestic and international press.”

There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian government.

Egypt is among the worst countries in the world for press freedom and is ranked 161 out 180 on the 2017 World Press Freedom Index.

The government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has become particularly sensitive about foreign reporting ahead of this month’s election, which the president is expected to win overwhelmingly after all credible opponents were arrested or intimidated out of the race.

Egypt has also bridled over reporting on human rights abuses in the northern Sinai, where the military is carrying out a major counter-terrorism operation against jihadist groups.

The government also angrily denounced a report by the BBC investigating allegations that Egyptian security forces are responsible for torture and widespread forced disappearances.

Ms Trew said she was now on a list of “undesirable people” and would be re-arrested if she returned to Egypt.

“In the end I am leaving behind seven years of my life, my friends, my flat and two rescue cats. I am cauterising bits of my heart to dull the searing pain of losing Egypt, a country that was my home and a place I deeply love,” she said.

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/0 ... elections/

DJKeefy wrote: She was held for several hours without access to a lawyer or British diplomats, she said, and then told she could either get on a flight out of Egypt or face military prosecution.

“Less than 24 hours after I was first detained, I was marched on to a plane with nothing but the clothes I was standing up in. The choice before me — stay for a military trial or leave — was no kind of choice,” Ms Trew said in an article about her experience.

She was given no official reason for her expulsion.

“It is now clear that the authorities have no intention of allowing her to return.

Ms Trew said she was now on a list of “undesirable people” and would be re-arrested if she returned to Egypt.

“In the end I am leaving behind seven years of my life, my friends, my flat and two rescue cats. I am cauterising bits of my heart to dull the searing pain of losing Egypt, a country that was my home and a place I deeply love,” she said.

Just like many others since 2015 that have been forced to leave without any reason, leaving their life, friends and loved ones behind possibly forever, SAD

Read The First Casualty by Peter Greste. She isn't the first, won't be the last, and it's happening all over the world, including in so-called democracies, like USA and UK.

DJKeefy wrote: Ms Trew said she was now on a list of “undesirable people” and would be re-arrested if she returned to Egypt.

“In the end I am leaving behind seven years of my life, my friends, my flat and two rescue cats. I am cauterising bits of my heart to dull the searing pain of losing Egypt, a country that was my home and a place I deeply love,” she said./

I am very sad to say I came across quite a number of people who were forced to leave Egypt in my time there, many lost their whole life's savings invested in their new homes, their furniture, personal belongings, money and perhaps most important loving pet animals and friends.

Many of these people never knew why they had been kicked out with little more than what they stood up in, and then the gossip mongers who still remained circulated vicious comments. During the Mubarak era I was reported to the so called secret police, I acted very swiftly. When I left my home in Egypt, I gave it away, I got all my private papers and books out, and my personal belongings, I am still able to visit Egypt if I so wish,..................I regard myself very lucky. .

Apparently, Bel Trew has a track record of writing negatively about Egypt and positively about the MB.

The only surprise is that she hasn't been expelled sooner.

By definition, any negative reporting on Egypt is deemed "fake news" or "lies " with a custodial sentence to follow .

She was wise to opt for the flight home.

So, do you think I should put a stop on the Autobiography ?
Mind you, I did 10 pages and wore myself out....
Ps: Another busy Sunday at the Marsam,
Sunday eh? So all these people flying out tomorrow, I scored 3 boxes of pistachio 'Jello from my American friend.bless...