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Alert

Journalists assaulted, harassed in run-up to second round of legislative elections

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has strongly condemned the use of violence to intimidate journalists since the opening of the first round of Egyptian legislative elections on 8 November 2005.

The worldwide press freedom organisation called on the Egyptian authorities to carry out thorough and serious investigations after several journalists were harassed or assaulted by the security services or by masked armed groups.

"We urge the authorities to see to it that the law is respected and that journalists are allowed to carry out news-gathering in complete freedom and safety," RSF said.

"Crude and brutal intimidation of journalists should have no place in Egypt. We also call on President Hosni Mubarak to act to halt this harassment," the organisation said.

Ahmad Mansur, Cairo correspondent for Al-Jazeera television and host of the programme "Bela hudud" ("Without Borders") on the same station, was brutally beaten by two men in front of this office in the Egyptian capital on the evening of 9 November. After checking his identity, the two men hit him, breaking his glasses and leaving him with a neck injury before fleeing. He has been vocal in his criticism of the Egyptian head of state.

On 13 November, Heba al-Qudsy, of the Arab-language daily "Asharq al-Awsat", was assaulted by a group of men while covering a demonstration in Bulak Abu el-Ela, in the suburbs of Cairo. The men also snatched his camera.

Manar Khater, of the independent daily "Al-Masry Al-Yum", was prevented from covering incidents which arose following voting irregularities in the El Dokki district in Giza Province. Dina Gamil, of the weekly "Al-A'alam Al-Yum", was also prevented from covering the vote count in the same province. Crews working for BBC and Al-Jazeera have also been obstructed from doing their job.