28 January 2011- The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused security forces in Egypt of indiscriminate violence after scores of journalists were forcibly detained and beaten during recent protests in the capital, Cairo, calling for political change in the country. At least ten Egyptian journalists were detained during a protest held outside the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate (EJS) office in Cairo and foreign reporters were arrested and beaten while covering the protests. “Journalists, the world over, are appalled by the thuggery of Egypt’s state security officers and riot police, beating and arresting protesters as well as journalists and photographers in Cairo,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President.” We hold the government primarily responsible for directing the police charge and call on them to order an immediate halt to these attacks.” According to the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate, the journalists who were arrested on Wednesday have been released along with around 200 students after they insisted on the release of all detained protesters, especially university students who were due to sit their exams on Thursday. The EJS says that journalists were demonstrating outside their offices when the security forces forcibly intervened to break up the protest and made several arrests among journalists and other protesters. The journalists who were detained included Karem Mahmmoud, former head of press freedom committee of the EJS and Abd Al-Qudus, both of whom were badly beaten by police. The Guardian’s reporter in Cairo, Jack Shenker, was attacked by plain cloth officers while covering the protest in downtown Cairo who bundled him in a van with many other protesters. He managed to provide a live account of officers’ brutality against all detainees who managed to escape after overpowering the van’s guard outside Cairo, according to the Guardian’s website. Other foreign reporters were also targeted, including Associated Press TV News cameraman Haridi Hussein Haridi and his assistant Haitham Badry who were arrested but have now been released . The IFJ defends the journalists’ rights to express their views in a peaceful way and warns that the authorities’ violent response is likely to escalate the protests and endanger the safety of media. “Journalists have a job to do and they have the right to be able to report safely on these demonstrations without being punched, kicked or arrested,” added Boumelha. “The Egyptian government must be responsible for their safety.” The IFJ represents more than 600.000 members in 125 countries

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