[Greens-Media] Senate demands action on Peter Greste and freedom of the press

[Stahel, Peter (Sen C. Milne)]

Senate demands action on Peter Greste and freedom of the press

The Senate has backed a Greens motion calling for more action to secure the release of Peter Greste and fellow Al Jazeera journalists who are imprisoned in Egypt for reporting the news.

"We must drive renewed action in Australia and around the world for the release of these journalists who are only doing their jobs and are not guilty of any crime," Greens Leader Christine Milne.

"The situation in Cairo for Mr Greste and his colleagues is really dire. Procedural fairness and due legal process is out the window, as demonstrated by recent trials of protesters sentenced to death.

"Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Prime Minister Tony Abbott must take renewed and amplified action to secure their release. At a bare minimum, public and diplomatic representations must be made continually to raise pressure on the Egyptian government."

The Senate motion read as follows:

*219 Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Milne): To move-That the Senate- 
(a) notes with concern the ongoing deterioration of democratic principles in Egypt, evidenced by: 
(i) the arbitrary arrest of more than 16 000 protestors since the military coup of July 2013, 
(ii) the lack of procedural fairness and due process in the judicial system, particularly the recent mass trials that sentenced 529 people in March, and a further 683 in April, to death, and 
(iii) suppression of free press, including the ongoing imprisonment of Australian journalist Mr Peter Greste, and fellow Al Jazeera journalists; and 
(b) calls on the Prime Minister (Mr Abbott) and the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ms Bishop) to speak out publicly, and increase pressure on the Egyptian Government to seek the immediate release of Mr Peter Greste and the other 19 individuals detained.