Obama joins protests against Egypt’s crackdown on reporters

The United States has called upon Egypt to release three al-Jazeera journalists detained by the country's authorities for more than a month. The arrest of the correspondents was "of deep concern" to Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

The three reporters are Australia's Peter Greste, Mohammed Fahmy, a Canadian-Egyptian, and Egyptian national Baher Mohamed. They are accused of aiding "terrorists" from the banned Muslim Brotherhood of former president Mohammed Morsi - charges that the arrested journalists have denied.

Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based TV channel, has said the men were merely reporting the situation in Egypt.

A number of journalists are currently facing charges in Egypt, amid concerns by rights groups that freedom of speech is being severely curtailed by the military-backed authorities.

"The restrictions on freedom of expression in Egypt are a concern, and that includes the targeting of Egyptian and foreign journalists and academics simply for expressing their views," Carney, speaking on behalf of US President Barak Obama, said on Tuesday.

"These figures, regardless of affiliation, should be protected and permitted to do their jobs freely in Egypt. We have strongly urged the government to drop these charges and release those journalists and academics who have been detained," he said.

The al-Jazeera reporters were arrested in late December following interior ministry accusations of illegally broadcasting from a hotel suite.

Of the three arrested a month ago, Greste, who had worked for the BBC, is accused of collaborating with "terrorists" by talking to Muslim Brotherhood members. Al-Jazeera Cairo bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy and producer Baher Mohamed are accused of the more serious offence of membership of the Brotherhood.

The al-Jazeera network said it was "surprised" when its reporters were arrested.

Two more of its staff - journalist Abdullah al-Shami and cameraman Mohammad Badr - were arrested in July and August.

Other news organisations, including the BBC, Sky and the Daily Telegraph newspaper have issued a joint call for the immediate release of all journalists held in Egypt, said to number more than 40.

The 48-year-old Greste is an award-winning al Jazeera reporter, while Fahmy is a well-known journalist in Cairo who previously worked with CNN. The trio, including Baher Mohamed, were arrested from a Cairo hotel on 29 December and accused of trying to tarnish Egypt's image by broadcasting false information.

The trio had been reporting on the political turmoil in Egypt when they were taken into custody and accused of holding meetings with members of the Muslim Brotherhood, which the nation's leaders have declared a terrorist organisation.

Greste's parents said his treatment by Egyptian authorities is "shameful". The White House has urged the Egyptian government to drop all charges against the three men and release them.

"The restrictions on freedom of expression in Egypt are a concern, and that includes the targeting of Egyptian and foreign journalists and academics simply for expressing their views," Carney said. "These figures, regardless of affiliation, should be protected and permitted to do their jobs freely in Egypt."