I had the following published just now about what I think is really motivating the charges against me. Some will be surprised to read, I don’t think it is all about #SCAF
Foreign Journos Aren’t The Real Target In Egypt
By Austin Mackell
Misperceptions abound about why foreign journos get arrested in Egypt. As he awaits the outcome of charges against him in Cairo, Austin Mackell considers the forces behind his arrest
As many New Matilda readers will know, a little over a month ago, I — along with Aliya Alwi, an Egyptian translator and news producer and Derek Ludovici, an American masters student — was arrested in a city called Mahalla El Kubra about two hours drive north of Cairo, where we had travelled to interview trade union leader Kamal el-Fayoumi. The three of us were held for around 56 hours, during which time we were charged with inciting people to commit vandalism. Specifically, it is alleged we promised to give children money if they threw rocks at a police station.
A network quickly sprang up to support us. So far this support has included an open letter — which you can sign here if you haven’t already — calling on the Australian government to act on my behalf, and a rally held last Sunday outside the offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Having these supporters is a great comfort and they will be an important factor in determining how the charges against me are resolved. However, I’ve noticed two common misconceptions in coverage of my situation. My hope is that by addressing these I can also present a clearer picture of the rapidly evolving situation here in Egypt.
Misconception 1: I — along with other journalists — am the target…
Read the rest here
