Two reporters wounded by gunshots while covering protest

Two journalists sustained gunshot injuries while covering the use of violence by police to disperse a demonstration at Cairo University on 14 April in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi. A student was killed in the ensuing clashes. Khaled Hussein, a reporter and photographer for the Al-Youm7 news website, and Amr Sayyed, a reporter of Sada Al-Balad TV, who had gone to the campus to cover the protest, were injured by shots fired by police officers. They were rushed to hospital for operations to extract the bullets. Doctors said their injuries were not life-threatening. Reporters Without Borders urges the authorities to carry out an independent investigation into the shooting of the journalists in order to bring those responsible to justice. As arbitrary arrests, detention and trials continue in Egypt, Reporters Without Borders reiterates its deep concern about the safety of journalists, who are often targeted. Mayada Ashraf, a reporter for the Al-Dostour daily newspaper and the Masr Al-Arabiyya news website, was fatally shot in the head as she was covering clashes between police and protesters in the eastern Cairo district of Ain Shams on 28 March. Journalists have been systematically targeted, especially when covering gatherings or demonstrations, ever since President Mohamed Morsi’s ouster on 3 July. At least six journalists were injured and around 15 were detained during demonstrations on 25 January marking the third anniversary of the start of the uprising against the Mubarak regime. Egypt is ranked 159th out of 180 countries in the 2014 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.