Violent attacks on journalists in Egypt

The website of the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir reported that its reporter, Serge Dumont, was beaten on Wednesday while covering a pro-Mubarak demonstration and was taken to a military post by unknown individuals. He reportedly managed to contact his newsroom from there. He was accused of being a spy, the newspaper reported on its website.

CNN reporter Anderson Cooper, along with his producer and cameraman, were also victims of a violent attack. Not only were they beaten, but the attackers also tried to destroy the camera. ZDF correspondent Dietmar Ossenberg also had to cut short a live broadcast late Wednesday evening during the «heute» program from the balcony of a Cairo hotel after he and his cameraman were hit by a laser beam.

Two journalists from the Canadian CBC network reported that they had been surrounded by a mob and beaten until the Egyptian armed forces brought them to safety. «Without them, we would probably have been beaten to death,» said reporter Jean-Francois Lepine.

Government spokesman Magdy Rady called the claim that the state was involved in the clashes on the streets and in attacks on reporters a fabrication. The Egyptian government welcomes objective reporting. However, not all media outlets are unbiased, and some are taking sides against Egypt, Rady told the AP news agency.