WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday expressed concern over the crackdown on the media and others under Egypt’s military rulers who have pledged to steer the country toward democracy.
"We are disturbed by the reports of efforts to crack down on journalists, and bloggers and judges and others," the chief US diplomat told reporters.
She said US officials do not think such a crackdown is "in keeping with the direction that the Egyptian people were heading when they started out in Tahrir Square," the epicenter of the pro-democracy movement in January and February.
Three Egyptian journalists were questioned for three hours on Tuesday by military officials over criticism of the army on a live talk show, they said.
Reem Maged and Nabil Sharafeddine, two reporters, and prominent blogger, journalist and activist Hossam Al-Hamalawy were questioned by Adel Morsi, who heads the military justice authority.
Maged told reporters the questioning did not take place in the framework of an investigation but that the army had sought to "clarify" certain statements on her talk show "Baladna bil Masry."
Clinton also said the US hopes ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and his two sons will receive a fair trial.
"We want to see appropriate due process and procedures followed in anyone’s trial and particularly in such a highly-charged trial as that will certainly be," she told reporters.
Mubarak and his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, are to face trial on Aug. 3 on charges of ordering the killing of protesters and fraud, a judicial source told AFP Wednesday.
The spectacular fall of one of the region’s most powerful leaders after 18 days of nationwide anti-regime protests was followed by repeated calls for him to be tried.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power when Mubarak was ousted on Feb.11, has vowed to bring to justice all those found guilty of abuse, but has been criticized for its handling of the transitional phase.
Clinton, who spoke during joint press conference with Brazil’s Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota, said: "We are keeping very close watch on events in Egypt."
