Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood has been linked to
attacks on and detention of journalists.

The Committee to Protect Journalists asserted that the Brotherhood was
believed behind attacks on at least four journalists in June. The New
York-based group said the attacks in the Assiyut province were directed by a
Brotherhood official identified as Waheed Hassan.

“Although all sides have been involved in anti-press attacks in recent months, Muslim Brotherhood members have been responsible for a disproportionate share,” Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa coordinator, said.

In a statement on June 20, the committee cited a Brotherhood attack on journalists on June 18. The four journalists in the Gharbiya province, including a reporter for the state-operated Ahram El Messaei, were attacked by Brotherhood supporters during an rally against the regime of President Mohammed Morsi. Two of the journalists were detained and the others were
said to have been injured.

“The reports said the journalists were covering assaults on protesters by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood,” CPJ said.

The assaults were said to have increased amid rising unrest in Egypt.
The opposition has been mobilizing supporters to hold another round
presidential elections, and planned for a general strike on June 30, the
first anniversary of Morsi’s election.

In another incident, Egyptian journalists said they were threatened and
beaten by Hassan, the Brotherhood official, during a protest by teachers.
The journalists were said to have been interrogated for six hours by local
police while Hassan remained free.

“President Mohamed Morsi should call on his supporters to halt attacks
against journalists,” Mansour said.

  Ahram El Messaei, Committee to Protect Journalists, Mohammed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood said responsible for attacks on Egyptian journalists, Waheed Hassan