Journalists Jailed 7-10 Years. Ben Kitili, Judy Kosgei, Erick Njoka & Others React

By Tabitha Makumi,

When people get to speak of the ‘world’s most dangerous careers’, the probable list consists of positions such as miners, police officers, fire fighters, power line installers (Those KPLC guys who come to repair your electricity come rain or shine), etc. Rarely will you hear the mention of journalists.

In Kenya, obvious names come to mind at the mention of this name which make most of our politicians shudder and shiver. People like Mohammed Ali, John Allan Namu, Dennis Onsarigo, Rita Tinina, Jamila Mohammed and the list is endless.

Our business is to sit behind the screen and watch the news of the day. We really do not care what these journalists have to go through to make news “entertaining”. At the end of the day, all we want is news. The more ‘dramatic’, the better. Probably why we love “Jicho Pevu”

But could journalism be at the top of most dangerous careers in the world? “I think it depends with the locality. You’ve heard of countries such as Yemen, Syria and Egypt being one of the most dangerous places for journalists.” Says Michael Ciano* a second year media student at Kenya Institute of Mass Communication who adds that no matter the hardships journalists face he wouldn’t think of pursuing anything else.

But it’s Egypt’s recent doing to journalists which got the world to rise up and condemn the sentencing of three Al-Jazeera journalists who were sentenced to serve seven years to ten years in jail.

The three (Australian award winning journalist Peter Greste and Canadian-Egyptian national Mohamed Fahmy, Cairo bureau chief of Al Jazeera English, Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed who was given an extra three years) were found guilty of what is been termed as spreading false news and supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood in the country.

One of the journalist’s father shares, “Our son, Peter Greste, has been in jail since December 29 awaiting trial for his work as a journalist.

The outrageous verdict has so far given birth to #FreeAJStaff on Twitter with journalists all over the world condemning it and insisting that Journalism is not a crime.

And our Kenyan journalists have not been left behind in the uprising to have the fellow journalists released. Here are some of their tweets

@JudyKosgei…and just like that we are back to ancient #Egypt when Pharaoh ruled #FreeAJStaff

@DuncanKhaemba: 7 years in prison while in the line of duty #FreeAJStaff

@SaddiqueShaban: #FreeAJStaff #FreeAJStaff #FreeAJStaff #FreeAJStaff #FreeAJStaff #FreeAJStaff

@amnesty: Journalism is not a Crime. #FreeAJStaff

@eriknjoka: Really sad that journalists can be jailed for that long and a pity for the judge to make such a ruling. Egypt needs help #FreeAJStaff

@sarahkimani: Speechless was so hopeful it would end well.
‏
@Donsarigo: The American elected government of Egypt must unconditionally release jailed journalists; utter bull!!! #FreeAJStaff

@FerdyOmondi: Gutted for Peter Greste and co. Journalism is NOT a crime. #FreeAJStaff

What’s your take on this devastating story?

 Dont Miss any Job Or Article Subscribe to Career Point Kenya by Email FOR FREE CLICK HERE