Throughout history, certain courageous, altruistic individuals have sacrificed their freedom for the common good.
Nigerian-raised Egyptian Al Jazeera broadcast reporter, Abdullah El-Shamy,
is one of such individuals. He was arrested while covering the Egyptian
military’s bloody crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters in August,
2013 in Cairo.
El-Shamy has since been imprisoned for
253 days, and has embarked on a hunger strike to protest his internment.
He is currently on the 94th day of his strike.
El-shamy’s parents, Elshamy Nusehy Elshamy and Thuraya Elshamy, who
are based in Lagos, have been campaigning non-stop for the release of
their son and the three other journalists who were imprisoned.
Speaking to Al Jazeera two days ago, his parents expressed that their son is fighting not for himself, but for a free media. is mother, Thuraya, told Al Jazeera that
despite concerns about Abdullah’s health, his family are right behind
him in his hunger strike.
“I urge Abdullah to continue his hunger
strike, because now it is not for himself, it is for freedom and for all
his colleagues. My son is innocent and he loves his country of Egypt.
He has always reported the truth; his motivation has always been
humanitarian professional causes,” she said.
One expects Nigeria to lend her voice for the freedom of this journalist and his colleagues who have been detained since December 2013.
