Three journalists working for Al-Jazeera were arrested by Egyptian security forces on Monday as part of a crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood.
Reuters reported the journalists, who worked out of the networks offices in Qatar, were accused of being part of a broadcast that was aired from a hotel room with a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Brotherhood was declared a terrorist organization by Egypt’s interim government on Dec. 25. Since, the streets have been filled with protesters and angry demonstrators.
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“State security received information that a member of the [Muslim Brotherhood] used two suites in a Cairo hotel to hold meetings with other members of the organization and turned the suites into a press center,” the Interior Ministry said, in a statement reported by Reuters. “[They] made live broadcasts of news that harms homeland security, spreading rumors and false news to Qatar’s Al-Jazeera channel without permits.”
A suspected member of the Muslim Brotherhood was also arrested, Reuters reported. The security team also seized the journalists’ broadcast equipment and transmitters. Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera confirmed that three English-speaking employees were arrested: a correspondent, a cameraman and a producer.
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