FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2014

CODEPINK Activists Stage Demonstration at the Egyptian Defense Office to protest Unjust Sentencing of Three Al Jazeera Journalists and 183 Egyptians Sentenced to Death;

Call for an End to US Military Aid to Egypt

When: 12:00pm on June 24, 2014

Where: Egyptian Defense Office, 2590 L NW, Washington, DC

Visuals: Large signs, banners, President Sisi impersonator

Washington, DC –– CODEPINK DC will stage a protest at the Egyptian Defense Office at noon on Tuesday, June 24th, to protest the unjust sentencing of the Al Jazeera journalists and the latest batch of 183 sentenced to death. Activists will also call for an immediate end to all U.S. military aid to Egypt. On Monday, June 23, an Egyptian court convicted three Al Jazeera journalists of “aiding the Muslim Brotherhood,” sentencing two of them to seven years in prison and one to ten years. Just a few days earlier, 183 Egyptians were sentenced to death for simply being affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.  

“We are outraged at the U.S. military financial support of Abdul al-Sisi's government that suppresses freedom of speech, expression and press,” said 22-year-old Anastasia Taylor from the peace group CODEPINK. “There is no justification of such drastic measures and the reported violations of basic human rights reflects no basis of a true democracy. It’s outrageous that John Kerry would even consider giving our tax dollars to such a repressive regime.”

The prosecution of the Al Jazeera journalists has been widely condemned by international correspondents, press organizations and governments. Since the military coup in June 2013, Abdel Fatteh el-Sisi’s government has been targeting, jailing, and even killing perceived political dissenters, including journalists –– and the situation hasn’t gotten any better since the recent sham elections in May 2014.

Despite these violations of human rights and clear breach of the freedom of the press, the U.S. continues to give Egypt military aid to the tune of over $1 billion every year. While the aid is currently suspended, John Kerry announced the released of $575 million and signaled his willingness to resume even more  in installations.

##