Mohamed Fahmy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohamed Fahmy
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Fahmy in 2015
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| Born |
Mohamed Fadel Fahmy
April 27, 1974 Cairo, Egypt
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| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Journalist, author |
| Years active | 1999–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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CNN Freedom Project "Death in the Desert" "Egyptian Freedom Story" "Marriott Cell" |
Mohamed Fadel Fahmy (Arabic: محمد فاضل فهمي; born April 27, 1974) is a Canadian journalist and author. He was born in Egypt and has worked as a war correspondent. Fahmy has reported for major news organizations like CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera English.
He is known for covering important events in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2013, he was arrested in Egypt along with two fellow journalists. After a long legal process, he was later pardoned and released.
Contents
About Mohamed Fahmy
Mohamed Fahmy was born in Egypt on April 27, 1974. He has spent many years reporting from different parts of the world. His work often focused on the Middle East, North Africa, and North America.
He covered the Iraq War in 2003 for the Los Angeles Times. He was one of the first journalists to enter Iraq when the ground war began. After this mission, he wrote his first book, Baghdad Bound.
Fahmy also worked for Dubai Television. He created many segments for a popular talk show. This show looked at social issues in countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
In 2007, he worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Lebanon. His job was to protect the rights of political prisoners and refugees.
Reporting on Big Events
Fahmy played a key role in covering the Arab Spring for CNN. This was a series of protests and revolutions across Arab countries starting in 2010. He reported live from the scene of the Israeli Embassy attack in Cairo in 2011. He even helped an American news crew stay safe during the attack.
He also traveled to Libya in 2011 to report on the search for dictator Gaddafi. He covered the formation of a new government there. In 2012, he reported on the elections in Egypt.
Fahmy co-authored a book called "Egyptian Freedom Story" in 2011. This book used photos to document the January 25th Revolution.
Awards for Journalism
Mohamed Fahmy has received several awards for his important work.
- In 2011, he won a Peabody Award with the CNN team. This was for their coverage of the Arab Spring.
- The following year, he won the Tom Renner Investigative Reporting Award. This was for a documentary called "Death in the Desert." It showed how organized crime groups were involved in illegal activities.
- In 2014, he received the Canadian Commission World Press Freedom Award. He also got a certificate from UNESCO on World Press Freedom Day.
- He was awarded the Royal Television Journalism Judges' Award in 2015.
- Other awards include Australia's Voltaire award for free speech in 2015. He also received the International Association of Press Clubs Freedom of Speech Award in 2015.
- In 2016, he won the Writers Union of Canada: Freedom to Read Award. He also received the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association's Liberty Awards.
Helping Others: The Fahmy Foundation
While he was in prison, Fahmy started the Fahmy Foundation. This is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver, Canada. Its goal is to help and support journalists, photographers, and others who are imprisoned around the world for their beliefs.
The Fahmy Foundation has worked with Amnesty International. They created a "Protection Charter" for the Canadian Prime Minister. This document suggests ways for the government to better protect Canadian citizens and journalists who face human rights issues in other countries.
Legal Challenges in Egypt
In September 2013, Fahmy became the Al Jazeera English International Bureau Chief in Egypt. On December 29, 2013, he and two colleagues, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed, were arrested by Egyptian authorities. They were accused of spreading false news.
On June 23, 2014, Fahmy was found guilty by a court in Cairo. He was sentenced to seven years in a maximum-security prison. Many international news organizations called the trial unfair. The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, criticized the sentences.
On January 1, 2015, an Egyptian court ordered a new trial for Fahmy and his colleagues. They were not allowed to be released on bail. Fahmy gave up his Egyptian citizenship in February 2015. This was to try and benefit from a law that allows foreign prisoners to be sent back to their home countries. His colleague Peter Greste was deported to Australia.
On February 12, 2015, Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were released on bail. Their new trial lasted for six months. On August 29, 2015, Fahmy, Mohamed, and Greste (who was not present) were each sentenced to three years in prison.
Pardon and Aftermath
On September 23, 2015, it was announced that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had pardoned Fahmy. This meant he was released from prison.
After his release, Fahmy criticized Al Jazeera English. He said he was suing the network for "100 million dollars" for "damages." He claimed the network was negligent and misinformed him about their legal status and safety in Egypt. On June 10, 2016, President al-Sisi gave Fahmy his Egyptian citizenship back.
Fahmy later started a new job as a professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada. He also wrote a book about his time in prison called The Marriott Cell: An Epic Journey from Cairo's Scorpion prison to Freedom.
See also
In Spanish: Mohamed Fahmy para niños
- Al Jazeera controversies and criticism
