South African journalists slam raid on Anadolu Agency

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - A South African media advocacy group on Thursday strongly condemned the detention of Anadolu Agency employees following a raid at their office in Cairo.

"We at Media Review Network (MRN) find it utterly reprehensible that Al-Sisi's security agents stormed the press bureau of Turkey’s Anadolu Agency in Cairo and detained a number of employees," Iqbal Jassat, an executive member of the MRN, said in a statement.

"We condemn the raid and express our outrage that those detained without any valid legal basis have been taken to undisclosed locations," he said.

The rights advocate said they deplore the Egyptian regime's high-handed attack and view it as an assault on press freedom.

He said his organization is convinced that this assault and forced disappearance of key staff at Anadolu Agency is an attempt to intimidate journalists, who are perceived to be anti-regime.

"We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all detained employees and an assurance that such draconian anti-media raids will be suspended," he said.

Jassat also urged the African Union to intervene urgently and obtain the release of the detainees.

The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), an independent journalist’s trade union, has also condemned the raid and arrest of Anadolu Agency staff in Egypt.

"This is indeed an act of violation against freedom of the press. We firmly stand with Anadolu Agency and their journalists in their quest in seeking the right to press freedom. We show our full solidarity with them," said Abdale Ahmed Mumin, Secretary General of SJS.

Egyptian police raided the Cairo bureau of Anadolu Agency late Tuesday and detained four employees.

The staff members, including one Turkish citizen, were taken to an unknown location.

No reason was given for the raid.

Turkey strongly condemned the move and called for immediate release of Anadolu Agency staff members.

*Mohammed Dhaysane in Mogadishu contributed to this story