The Frightening Implications of Journalists’ Prosecutions Abroad

After an Egyptian judge last week sentenced a trio of Al Jazeera English journalists to three years in prison, the British ambassador told television crews outside the courtroom that the verdict would “undermine confidence in the basis of Egypt’s stability, both in Egypt and abroad.” The next day, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the diplomat to object to his remarks. “Egypt does not need lessons from anyone,” it added in a statement.