Al Jazeera Journalist Baher Mohamed to Discuss Media Freedom At Upcoming Georgetown Lecture

The award-winning journalist whose imprisonment by the Egyptian government sparked worldwide demands for press freedom will deliver a lecture titled “A Conversation with Al Jazeera Journalist Baher Mohamed” as part of a public lecture series hosted by Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) on Monday, January 18 at 6:00pm.

In his presentation, Baher will share the difficult two year ordeal that started with his December 2013 arrest alongside his two Al Jazeera colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Peter Greste, and continued through the controversial investigation, imprisonment, trial and sentencing that made global headlines and launched the international #FreeAJStaff social media campaign.

He will also share details of his experiences inside prison and reiterate his message of the need for greater press freedom in the region and beyond. The lecture will be followed by a discussion moderated by GU-Q’s dean, Dr. Gerd Nonneman.

Commenting on his ordeal, Baher Mohamed said, “It has been a very trying time for myself and my fellow colleagues, but the fight for press freedom does not stop with us. Journalists are integral to the functioning of just societies and the overwhelming support we’ve received from people all over the world only confirms that. We will not rest until all journalists from around the world can do their work freely and without fear of harm.”

The three Al Jazeera journalists were arrested and accused of spreading “false news” during their media coverage of the mass opposition demonstrations that led to the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi. Baher was finally released from prison on September 23, 2015, alongside Mohamed Fahmy.

Peter Greste has described Baher as “one of the most extraordinary family men I’ve ever met”. Noting that one of Baher’s three children were born while he was behind bars, Greste added that he had likely suffered more than any of his colleagues while in prison.

Prior to his current job as an Al Jazeera English producer in Doha, Baher Mohamed worked for various international media organizations in Egypt following his graduation from Cairo University in 2005. From 2008 to 2013, he was with Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper while freelancing for other major news outlets.

Anyone interested in attending the public event can RSVP to sfsqevents@georgetown.edu