Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak in support of Australian journalist Peter Greste and for the freedom of the press around the world. Last December, Peter Greste, along with fellow Al Jazeera colleagues, Mohamed Fahmy an Baher Mohamed, were detained by the Egyptian authorities and held on fabricated charges of 'spreading false news' and 'supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood'.

Since that time, Peter, his colleagues and their families and friends have suffered deeply. In Tora prison, Peter was locked away for 24 hours a day in a cell. He was only allowed out for questioning by prosecutors. At various times, all three men were subject to solitary confinement. Throughout each of the 12 days, Peter and his colleagues spent in court, the world watched as the farcical trial developed, devoid of evidence, facts or credibility. After being locked for 177 days on absurd charges, Peter was sentenced to seven years in prison for simply doing his job. His parents, Juris and Lois Greste, visited him in jail last week, describing it as 'a horrendous experience'. They said:

Had we had a small bucket between us, as we were sharing hugs, it might have even overflowed … with tears, with tears and sobs.

In Peter's words, paraphrased by his brothers because they are not allowed to write anything down whilst visiting him:

I am devastated and outraged by Tuesday's verdict. Throughout this trial, the prosecutor has consistently failed to present a single piece of concrete evidence to support the outrageous allegations against us. At the same time our lawyers have highlighted countless procedural errors, irregularities and abuses of due process that should have had the entire case thrown out of court many times over.

It was a shocking show trial, with terrible implications for Peter, for his family, for his colleagues and also for the freedom of the press around the world. Of course, it has very negative impacts for Egypt, as its reputation around the world has been absolutely smashed because of what has happened to these journalists. Shock over the sentence handed down to Peter and his colleagues has reverberated internationally. In the United States, President Obama has backed calls for the journalists to be immediately released, with the White House condemning the verdict, highlighting that:

The prosecution of journalists for reporting information that does not coincide with the Government of Egypt’s narrative flouts the most basic standards of media freedom and represents a blow to democratic progress in Egypt.

Secretary of State, John Kerry, labelled the sentence as 'chilling and draconian'. William Hague, Britain's foreign secretary, was appalled by the verdict, and called on the Egyptian government to review the case as a matter of urgency. As UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has highlighted, not only is this sentence an appalling miscarriage of justice, but the case is a breach of international law.

Amidst this international pressure and outcry, Egypt has been unwilling to act on its democratic rhetoric to ensure basic freedoms. The Egyptian authorities have not only failed to uphold freedom of speech and freedom of the press; they have also fundamentally damaged the way Egypt is perceived worldwide. This has recently been recognised within Egypt itself, with reports that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said:

The sentencing of several journalists had a very negative effect, and we had nothing to do with it … I wish they were deported after their arrest, instead of being put on trial.

I really hope that those comments reflect a changing position within the Egyptian government. On behalf of this parliament and the Australian people, I implore President el-Sisi to secure the release of Peter and his colleagues.

They will now be subject to an appeal process. The first thing that should be ensured is that the appeal process does not drag out over months and months. It must be conducted in a timely manner, after which President el-Sisi can intervene. I would hope that at that point, he will allow Peter Greste and his colleagues to be pardoned and come home. But what Egypt is failing to understand is that the protection and growth of democratic society requires ensuring protection and respect for the free press. As Peter's parents Lois and Juris Greste highlighted about this abhorrent sentence when the verdict was announced:

This is a very dark time not only for our family, but for journalism generally … journalism is not a crime.

Egypt's prosecution of Peter and his colleagues is another disturbing step in the erosion of free press and expression worldwide. As reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 211 journalists were imprisoned in 2013—the second worst year on record after 2012, in which 232 journalists were detained. Each journalist detained is representative of a widespread, international erosion of democracy and fundamental human rights. Around the world, laws enacted under the guise of national security are being used to prevent journalists from doing their jobs and to crackdown on dissent. As Peter Greste eloquently articulated in his letter from Tora prison:

The state will not tolerate hearing from the Muslim Brotherhood or any other critical voices. The prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government. Secular activists are sentenced to three years with hard labor for violating protest laws after declining an invitation to openly support the government; campaigners putting up 'No' banners ahead of the constitutional referendum are summarily detained. Anyone, in short, who refuses to applaud the institution.

So our arrest is not a mistake, and as a journalist this IS my battle. I can no longer pretend it'll go away by keeping quiet and crossing my fingers. I have no particular fight with the Egyptian government, just as I have no interest in supporting the Muslim Brotherhood or any other group here. But as a journalist I am committed to defending a fundamental freedom of the press that no one in my profession can credibly work without. One that is deemed vital to the proper functioning of any open democracy...

That is such an important statement from Peter Greste from prison in Egypt. These principles, I am sure, are understood. But they need to be embraced in a fledgling democracy.

What is to be done? A lot of things can be done and I would like to use this opportunity to highlight to people listening and to the community that if you want to support Peter Greste then let's actually do it and get behind him. There is a website called freepetergreste.org. There is an email address: freepetergreste@gmail.com. You can send a letter to that email. The emails will be printed off and taken to the prison each week by his family for Peter to read. Everyone can share the idea that, if you were stuck in a prison somewhere, receiving letters from people around the world—especially from home—would really matter. So I would urge people to think about writing a quick email, because it will make a difference.

On the website there is also an opportunity for donations. I will read out what the donations will be used for so people listening might think they could possibly give something.

We would like to continue to maintain a family member in Egypt during Peter’s incarceration, helping to fulfill his emotional needs and support him throughout this very difficult period. To help cover these costs, as well as ongoing legal and other expenses, we have established a bank account for donations. Funds will be used solely for expenses associated with securing Peter’s release. Once achieved, funds will be distributed according to similar causes for unjustly imprisoned journalists.

I use this opportunity in the Australian Senate today to implore the community to get behind the campaign to free Peter Greste and to free all other journalists, including the other two imprisoned with him in Egypt. You can support him personally with a letter or with a donation to allow his family to continue to be able to go to the prison and to give him the legal help that he needs.

The evidence shows that the court process was pretty much a sham. The whole world is now watching this appeal process. We really must get behind and put pressure on the Egyptian government and the Egyptian legal system to make sure that the appeal process is properly conducted and held in a timely manner. That is the one thing we can all make sure we are doing. Get behind the #FREEAJSTAFF campaign that has been going worldwide. Hundreds of thousands of people are involved in this campaign. Over 30 countries have gotten behind the petitions and the social media campaign. We are doing everything we can to highlight the fact that the verdict of the court was a shocking outcome and to support the campaign.

I have spoken with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. She has assured me that Australia is doing everything it can through diplomatic channels. I understand that people in the Australian embassy on the ground are working extremely hard and are doing whatever they can to support Peter Greste in trying to make sure that he is represented. At least his concerns are being considered and upheld by the Australian consulate officials on the ground.

But I think the Australian government needs to perhaps ratchet it up a few notches to continue to put pressure on the Egyptian government at the highest possible levels. We should be leading international action to intervene and secure the release of Peter Greste and to void this ridiculous verdict. All diplomatic options, including sanctions, should be on the table. We need to ratchet this up because we have an Australian citizen, a journalist, in jail in Egypt improperly imprisoned. But there is also the statement about freedom of the press around the world. We have to stand up for journalists wherever they work around the world. I have given the figures on the number of them who have been incarcerated and it is in the hundreds. It is a shocking thing for them to be put into prison for simply doing their job and reporting on what is going on in various countries under various regimes around the world.

Australia is a country that values and appreciates the importance of the free press and the need to protect the freedoms of journalists. The Australian Greens will continue to fight for Peter's freedom and for his fellow journalists in Egypt and around the world. We will fight to keep them out of prison and will do whatever we can for people who are unjustly detained. We need to free Peter Greste and free the Al Jazeera staff.

I want to send a message to Peter and to his family to say that we in this parliament stand with you. The Australian people stand with you, and we will get you and your colleagues out of prison and home. Do not give up hope; there are millions of people around the world working to secure your release. As my time has almost expired, I would say again: you can send Peter a message on freepetergreste@gmail. You can go to the website, freepetergreste.org and make a donation so that his family can continue to support him while he is incarcerated.