Egypt’s journalists and members from the Press Syndicate issued a statement on Saturday expressing solidarity with two Tunisian journalists who were referred to military trial for their work discussing the Tunisian armed forces, state-owned media reported.

In their statement, the Egyptian journalists announced their support for the declaration released by the deputy head of the Arab Journalists’ Coalition, Hatem Zakareya, in which he announced solidarity with the two journalists. The statement by the Egyptian journalists further said that they are ready to form a defence team in coordination with the Egyptian Lawyers Syndicate and Arab Lawyers Coalition to defend the journalists.

The Tunisian Press Syndicate previously issued a statement of solidarity with the president of Egypt’s Press Syndicate, Yehia Qalash, and two board members, Khaled Al-Balshy and Gamal Abdel Reheim, after a court sentenced the trio to two years in prison.

In August, Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi signed a declaration on media freedom in the Arab world, in which he assured his commitment to the freedom and independence of the media.

A Reporters Without Borders report on press freedom issued in April said that Tunisia, unlike most countries in North Africa, jumped 30 places in the ranks, ranking 96 out of 180 countries.