India condemns detention of, attacks on scribes in Egypt

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) India today condemned thedetention of and attacks on journalists in Egypt, terming themas "unacceptable".

"I am pained and shocked to learn about the detention andattacks on journalists in Egypt, who were reporting on theunfolding developments. Such incidents are totallyunacceptable and must stop immediately," External AffairsMinister S M Krishna said.

The minister, whose office is in touch with Indianjournalists in Cairo, also said that the detained mediapersonsshould be released forthwith.

Amid the political turmoil and chaos in Egypt, foreignjournalists have become targets of rampaging mobs, mostlyaligned with embattled President Hosni Mubarak. Journalistsbecame targets, beaten, bloodied, harassed and detained byraging men, most in some way aligned with Mubarak, CNN, ABCNews and other media outlets reported.

Four Israeli journalists have been reportedly arrested inEgypt while trying to cover the escalating violence.

The External Affairs Ministry today issued an advisoryfor those intending to cover the protests, including obtainingthe State Information Service accreditation.

"It is understood that around 3000 foreign and Egyptiancorrespondents are currently in Cairo to file/film stories anda number of them are without suitable accreditation. A numberof journalists, including some Indian journalists, have gotinto trouble as a result," the Ministry said.

According to some reports reaching here, a cameraman of aprivate TV channel here was detained and then let off whileshooting the protests in Cairo.