queen elizabeth consistently doing her duty. i think she is played very well exactly the role of a constitutional one, which is the most charismatic sort of photograph, most famous women in the world. but she's also very enigmatic. we hardly know her, and i think being able to stay above politics, but seen as relevant and respected has been really important here in the twilight of queen elizabeth's reign, a gentle reduction of royal duties after the death of her husband of 73 years. prince philip, in the midst of the pandemic, a time when queen elizabeth's words to the nation have scarcely mattered more. we will be with our friends again. we will be with our families again. we will meet again, even as more more people question the role and the purpose of a royal family. in a modern democracy, there is something of a coziness of familiarity to her long reign and genuine public affection for woman

and a queen who ties past and present generations together. nay, parker al jazeera london. ah, these are the headlines on al jazeera this hour. russia has accused united states have deliberately adding fuel to the fire by supplying advanced precision guided rockets. the ukraine. the kremlin says it doesn't trust assurances from washington, that the rockets won't be fired into russia. the 18 year old wide suspect in a supermarket shooting in buffalo, new york is facing 25 counts of murder and domestic terrorism. peyton gander and is accused of opening fire in the store, killing 10 african americans. the white house has revoked a series of restrictions on flights to cuba. the measures were imposed by the trump administration to increase fresh on the cuban government. biden administration in recent weeks has also opened the door for cubans to join family members in the u. s

. you're up to date with the headlines on al jazeera, i'll be back with more news right after inside story. ah, a with another one in the future. i don't need to be here from with and honest with most of us, the new for those. and we say that the home and a little the we're gonna give you to worry. so that will be home. that the put up with me all the guys i'm allowed to completely out. obama, those awful booking for the, you know, you're the one. i don't want to deal with them and then i will see bobby house. i

don't want a shooting abuto to the aah. can egypt leaders be pressured into protecting press freedom? as either condemns the 15 year jail sentence given to one of its journalists for interviewing and opposition leader. so why is egypt silencing critical voices? this is inside story.

ah hello and welcome to the program. i'm a jim jim, as here as condemning the 15 year jail sentence, given an egypt to one of the networks, journalists, a court in cairo, sent his asthma in his absence for what prosecutors called spreading. false news thought is a presenter for others. it is more bash a news channel and says the ruling won't deter him from doing his job. he was charged for interviewing egyptian opposition leader and former presidential candidate. i've been when i'm able for 2 or 4 years ago. as edith has, the verdict was irrational, unjustified, and part of egypt continued campaign against the network and its journalists, the networks demanding the release of for other edges, either journalists detained in egypt without charge. matthias, here with me in the studio. i am

a thank you so much for joining us to the on inside story. we really appreciate it . let me ask you 1st. what does this verdict and sentence mean for you as a journalist, what does it mean for the network and what, in your opinion, does it mean for the overall state of press freedom um within ashbrook, um mm hm. at the beginning, i like to thank you for having me on this quarter, only to present means a lot at all. learns on that. as mentioned to your questions, i'm still in a total chunk. i work up to in the morning until 5 myself sent in social until 15 years. it had been imprisoned simply for doing my job as a tv presenter. i what i did is i had an interview with other public figures in egypt and one of the leaders of the official political party and one of the presidential candidates. it was a mapped a minimum for thought. he was also accused in this falls trial and was sentenced. similarly, i interviewed him in 2018 to update the viewers on the latest development and

of the political situation. here i found myself the subject of em con gl. draw a trial sentenced to 15 years without any illegal notification without even having the chance to get represented by a lawyer above all. but there is no if a legal policy turns out our measures a standard legal rules are totally violated. it is totally cut and good will try and live on this quarter darling is an exception and root adopted by the political regime in huge. if it is one of the political, one of the political towards at the, against all the freedom affects of oppression and freedom of press, as it is as shameful with ruling to me, i believe this ruling is not directed against me. it is direct al jazeera as

a media network, as again, as the values on principle as a 0 to presents, it is directed again is the freedom of press. a 0 is simply a beacon for and knowledge and freedom. that's why i repeat this ruling is shameful. and when the history of this or the history of the price, some in this region is written, total tough that will be dedicated to me. antonette. it's like me being tried under a false trial and sentences to jailed it simply. thor dug his job. it is a shame at you and says, sorry about this verdict, and this sentence being used as a political tool do you or does the network have any legal recourse to try to either appeal or overturn it? it under the own. fortunately, i contacted a number of other lawyers ago and they said that this court ruling was handed down

by an exceptional and quarter panel. and that is no rule for us to challenge the judgement. and it is totally a political trial. and i believe the normal standard with proceedings little firewalls taken the course are absent and this is a i'm so try and as you, yesterday i was speaking to my fellow colleagues on, i told them it is a glee or one kristen lee situation. oh, and what get another release of what, murdering logic. again, this is a shame of and rolling. it is a clear representation of the ongoing campaign. again, as the al jazeera and it's journalist, we have 4 of our fellow colleagues who have been detained for more than 3 years. a sham abdel aziz armored in those d a. d in the brain and out of the

a shave the have been detained without any chas pressing breast, i again as them hope and without committing any crime, they were detained, simply because they are part of a 0 me dentist brought them up. i also wanted to ask you about that. the fact that we have 4 of our colleagues that are still in detention being held without charge. what do you think that this verdict and sentence means when it comes to their cases? or like we know, wellness, we had thought that there is a way out as the regime and agent spoke about her as possible release of onion prisoners of conscience. oh, and we had hoped that the hour for colleagues would be included. however, after this unjust ruling handed down against me, our hope darling has receded. now we are certain that all what is been

propagated by these action regime over the past that period of time is false. we must, i believe that then that a g a is egypt is responsible for the answers to 10 channels are wrong for car leaves, i repeat those colleagues did not violate any ruins. we did not commit to any crime. and egypt is a signatory to all the international conventions regarding the freedom of press. and that's why i called on the egyptian authorities to release our colleagues immediately without delay. and that shameful ruling handed down against me. not only against me again is the freedom of person to not should be scrap are thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us today about what's happened to you. what's happening to our 4 colleagues were still being held without charge and to other journalists in egypt. we really appreciate it. shook hands as he walked. thank you. mm hm. egypt president launched the national strategy for human rights

last september. but rights groups dismissed it as a deceptive attempt to show reforms are happening to the international community. other al jazeera journalists have been targeted and detained in egypt. man would her saying was released last year after a 4 year prison sentence. he was arrested in 2016 while visiting relatives in cairo, but was never formerly charged with a crime or put on trial. in 2013 al jazeera journalist, bad mohammed mohammed sammy, and peter grist, they were jailed for what egypt called spreading false news. they were released after a year, but 7 colleagues were sentenced to 10 years. in his press freedom index reporters without borders ranks egypt at 168 out of 180 countries and says at least 21 journalists remain imprisoned in egypt. all right, let's bring in our guests in washington, d. c. should. he's gone for middle east and north africa program coordinator at the

committee to protect journalists in the u. s. city of minneapolis hammond, that mostly chair of the journalism program at the villa institute for graduate studies and in brussels are seen by you, me, egypt, and libby a researcher at amnesty international. a warm welcome to you all. and thanks so much for joining us today on inside story should if let me start with you today, how many journalists are jailed and detained in egypt, and what kind of message does this 15 years sentence that was given to am a thought send to journalists there thank you for hurting me. i think we're going to our most recent town to wendy's on the list to one of them was all the release while we're still waiting today to see him release. so it will bring the account down from $25.00 in december, which is a good sign. it means that at least the machine is slowing down. we're seeing more releases than ever since last year. but it doesn't mean that that operation

machine was dismantled, or that there will be any legislative or executive action to limit the government's ability to imprison journalists in the short term. we think that our improvement in terms of the numbers, but it still the 3rd level, jonas today, and that has been the case for at least 8 years. and i've the fact that c c. so we need to see a lot more if we think that the day is something that as an exception, actually it is the norm in egypt where we see the worst condition for press freedom. and it's more than has to her saying egypt, president, a c, c launched a national strategy for human rights. this was done last september. but rights

groups have basically dismissed this as a, as an attempt, a deceptive attempt to show that reforms are happening to the international community. the fact that bo was sentenced in absentia months after this national strategy for human rights was announced. what does this say to you? what does that mean? a continue to use or that is and supers caesar and this were a comical, clear examples as ations where it is have no intention of using a prisoner or sifting 2 different strategies where we're seeing that it is of some of that went on for you to the high profile arrests and instead focusing more on people as a government can label as rules and reserves or in some way connected with. but

over all, we're not seeing improvement in terms of prisoners suki or chris feederbaum is mohammed. is there any thing that could be done by any international actors that would, that would make egypt mitigate its treatment of journalists and activists and dissidence? i guess what i'm asking is, can egypt leaders be pressured into protecting press freedom? well, international activists researchers scholars have been calling on the international community really since 2013 to put pressure on the gyptian regime. unfortunately, there's been a lot of reluctance. there's been a lack of willingness on the part of key international actors to do anything substantial to answer your question and i, i do think it is,

it is possible. i mean, the united states could speak volumes if they actually are withheld aid from, from egypt, for instance. that's just one example. but the united states government hasn't really showed up hasn't shown any serious willingness to, to do, to do much other than, you know, sort of pay lip service to, you know, concepts associated with, with human rights and freedom and democracy and so on and so forth. and issuing the occasional no slap on the wrist to the, to the c c regime. but you know, the regime is concerned about its international image. they're concerned about pressure that could be applied. they've tried to, to put on this facade of, you know, democratic job reform for largely because they are concerned. but as i said today, there just hasn't been anything meaningful that has been done by any international

actor. should it? huh. there was talking about the, the aid that the u. s. gives to egypt and how perhaps that could be leveraged into getting egypt to act differently when it comes to visit. and voice is critical. voices journalists. i want to ask you specifically about that relationship. the u. s gives egypt $1300000000.00 in military aid annually. in the u. s. congress put human rights related conditions on $300000000.00 of that $1300000000.00. in january, the by the ministration announced that it had cancelled a $130000000.00 of that $300000000.00 in military aid to egypt because of human rights concerns. the state department said that egypt had not met the conditions to receive that aid. but in the grand scheme of things, if you're talking about $130000000.00 out of what is essentially $1300000000.00 per year, is that an amount that would compel egyptian president

a c c to actually do anything to improve the human rights situation? in egypt, absolutely. it's one factor i think that goes into the relationship that defines much will for them to see see wants. and i think there are other factors put together that can improve at least the situation. and i think one of them is meeting here in washington, d. c. n n c c have not had an oval office meeting for a year and a half. and that's also a big factor in the upcoming trip. who was president biden going into the region? and trying to extract as much concessions across the region and it has planned agenda so. so these are 2 factors in the air conditioner, the,

i think there is a lot more improvement terms of how congress is able to exert pressure that has to do with something that ministration also said, which is protecting. this is a broad, including us citizens. and that's, i think one thing we can see, and they've conditionality, there are a lot more specificity about it. and also with books of public officials from the, by the admin. and that's, i think was the main idea behind the sentencing is that the exile voices, those have people been able to be shut down in a conversation inside each of both of those. so the remaining voice is outside become more critical, including under 0 regionally, but also internationally out of the us here. so i think, yes,

it matters to put it in c c, having that meeting. and also a matter of what he saw recently with for the 1st time, the us justice department and i thing, and i spoke for the invasion, see that the wanted to spy on dissidence out of new york. and that was something i think that sent a lot more messages about possibility of other punitive measures like sanctions under magnus, the sanctions or sanctions are the hash of the bands that we have seen this administration. and her saying, of course we've seen the statement from amnesty international condemning this verdict and other verdicts as well and sentences. if we could just take a step back for a moment, zoom out for a bit. why is egypt silencing critical voices? which is our style is in critical voices because the wrong,

because you don't want to see it from the point of view of security forces for right now was that was for a limited space to reduce it to the problems it went to the right. now, it conveys the snow into measures that can turn in danger of government in the us or so on. but this essentially is the issue is set in order to prevent a sort of opposition. security forces have been silencing cole and the grid here was any diesel, for example, in violating not just, not just measure ordinance, but are you going after individuals or feasible. gov also going after

a lawyers for example, which is also assignment. and so it went to far as their employers and as a, from the bullying by asians that are happening in the countries most recently we saw there is the who's so 20 or his twenty's simply because he hosted on his social media. he's about it in and now he's didn't been instigated richter's and started soon. shorts. she doesn't scoot is particular. she any sort of criticism as the people are as the 1st step towards antique govern mobilization mohammed i, i want to talk more specifically for a moment about the sentence that was given to her. i am a thought her. this is a 15 year jail sentence that was given in absentia for spreading false news over a 2018 interview without them when i'm able for to or he's a leading opposition figure and former presidential candidate in egypt. and apple for tore himself, was since the 15 years in jail this week over accusations applauding against the

state even in a country where the jailing and sentencing of, of journalists and dissidence has become quite common. does this action this sentencing of, uh huh. 5 to 15 years in jail for this interview, does that not seem excessive? well, i mean, what doesn't seem excessive. cc came to power in 2013 on the back of a military coup. the violence that was carried out at the time was, was excessive. there were 5 large scale massacre of civilians carried out in the summer of 2013. the regime went on to eliminate all forms of political opposition. they arrested tens of thousands of people, including political leaders. they banned all of the key opposition parties. they shut down all of the key opposition, news outlets. so you know, what in that wasn't wasn't excessive. so, you know, this is,

this is an extreme authoritarian regime. so while it's shocking to us that, that a journalist could be, you know, sentenced to 15 years in jail for quote, on whole false news spreading false news just for asking some questions in interview. really, it's entirely consistent with, with, with the cc regimes modus operandi, and i just wanted to piggyback on what mr. but you, me, it was saying on the previous question, you know, and terms of, you know, why the regime acts out the way that it does. this is a very scared, very paranoid regime, in addition to the things that i just mentioned about elimination is, um you know, we have to remember that a, c, c is deeply insecure. a few people tried to, you know, put their names in the hat and run against him in the presidential election a few years ago,

and he arrested them or otherwise eliminated them. so that just underscored the extent to which he's, he's insecure and that's one of the reasons why egypt does not tolerate any sign of descent whatsoever. i thought philip luther am the city's middle east of north africa. director said it best a couple of years ago when he said he gyptian authorities have made it very clear that anyone who challenges the official narrative will be severely punished. and if there's an opportunity, i think we should talk at some point today about navita malcolm, who is the immigration minister who threatened egyptians abroad with death a few years back in a speech in, in canada, and saying that any egyptian who speaks against the state who criticizes, the government could be, could be killed, could be sliced up in her, and her words should, if a, what legal justification is there for egyptian courts to dole out these kinds of

verdicts and sentences, what is the rationale that they are going by? and also, if from your point of view, is there any space that currently exists in egypt for, for opposition or for descent or for critical voices? well no, i think we're to what we saw is the same promise, is that the c c have given over never delivered on. we might see some just, just to allow that some of those things to happen this year including while the host, the international environment conference and that sort of machines in september. of course, there's an opportunity for the government to try and get some support as it tackles it's economic challenges and in media threats. so of course there is

an opening, an opportunity that can materialize. but those are legal battle that no one has control off because they are happening and emergency cause those who have issued even this kind of the get someone just, you know, there's on a list in the past and some who continue to be in pre trial detention without recourse without evidence for 4 years or more. so yes, there isn't any legal ability to find justice within easiest border. and that's why many people are demanding justin to happen in a political price or even us court order. no pm. of course, not just in congress on other ways. so yes, we want to see a lot more focus on the right of this approach, but also should light on people who do not get even the tension that interest you

to have. there are a lot in prison in egypt today, but there are so many of them not even have any affiliation with an outlet, let alone or the national. all right, well we have run out of time, so we're going to have to leave the conversation there. thank you so much. all of our guests should have months or a hamburger mostly and her same, but you, me and thanks to, uh huh. and thank you for watching. you can see the program again any time of visiting our website or 0 dot com. and for further discussion, go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash ha inside story. you could also, during the conversation on twitter handle is at a j inside story for me and how much enjoy the whole team here. ah ah.

a stories of determination and joy, i will not be luck thou. in the quito, gina duke. i remained a listing v. i don't get a short documentary by african filmmakers from molly, wanda, and cameron, desert libraries and the young cyclist and happy africa direct on al jazeera. examining the impact of today's headlines yesterday. our electricity was starting off this paul alive, setting the agenda for tomorrow's discussion. if somebody comes to gardener from

europe than never called an immigrant, the always known as an x path, international film, lakers, and world class journalists bring programs to inform and inspire. we live one people on this one planet and we got to work the solutions together. thought al jazeera ah al jazeera, ah, with all the u. s. is a with of, in fact, if you pay right the world, people pay attention to what with on here. and i'll just, he was very good at bringing the news to the world from here. ah, so i'm fully back table in doha with a look at, i mean stories on al jazeera, russia has accused the.