Rallies are planned in more than 30 cities today as part of Al Jazeera’s Global Day of Action in solidarity with Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste, and Baher Mohamed, its journalists jailed in Egypt.
Al Jazeera America is collecting images from demonstrations around the world and posting them to a live blog. Heather Allan, the head of newsgathering for the network, is also participating in a Reddit Ask Me Anything Q+A about the #FreeAJStaff campaign today.
“Today we invite every believer of free journalism to show solidarity and support for journalists who have been detained, mistreated or stifled in Egypt and elsewhere,” Al Jazeera America interim CEO Ehab Al Shihabi wrote in a note to AJAM staff this morning.
Many media outlets around the world have joined the cause: last week, an international group of television executives called for the journalists’ release. The protests are also getting coverage on other networks: on “CBS This Morning” today, correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reported from London, where protestors in Trafalgar Square released black balloons into the sky as part of the demonstration.
“We are grateful for the support we have been receiving from across the world, from within the journalism profession, and from NGOs, politicians and members of the public,” Shihabi wrote. “The message that these detentions are unjustified is loud and clear.”