Mona Eltahawy was freed in Cairo on the morning of 24 November, 12 hours after she was arrested, and was sexually harassed during her detention.
(IPI/IFEX) – Vienna, 24 Nov. 2011 – U.S. journalist Mona Eltahawy was freed in Cairo on Thursday morning, 12 hours after she was arrested, according to a post on the columnist’s Twitter feed. A second journalist, Jehane Noujaim, who was detained on Wednesday, remains in custody.
Eltahawy was detained for nearly twelve hours. Upon her release, she apparently tweeted that she had been sexually harassed. “Five or six surrounded me, groped and prodded my breasts, grabbed my genital area and I lost count how many hands tried to get into my trousers,” she wrote. She added: “The past 12 hrs were painful and surreal but I know I got off much easier than so many other Egyptians.”
Noujaim was detained Wednesday during clashes on Tahrir Square in Cairo, AP reported. Noujaim is an Egyptian American filmmaker who has won awards for her work, including the 2004 documentary “Control Room,” about Al-Jazeera, AP said.
“We welcome the release of Mona Eltahaway and urge the authorities to release Jehane Noujaim and any other journalists who may have been detained during the clashes,” said IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills. “We call for a full and impartial investigation into Eltahaway’s claims of sexual assault and, again, we urge the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists reporting on the continuing unrest.”
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