Egypt Update: Dozens Protest Charges Against Newspaper Editor Critical of Morsi
By Countercurrents.org
03 September, 2012
Countercurrents.org
Ahram Online reports:
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Journalists' Syndicate in downtown Cairo on September 2 in support of Abdel-Halim Qandil, editor-in-chief of Sawt Al-Umma , who has been charged with “defaming the president” for an article published in his newspaper.
“We're here in solidarity with Abdel-Halim Qandil. He is the people's mentor, he can't be silenced,” said Selim Safy El-Din of the Constitution Party.
Qandil was questioned by the state security prosecutor on August 21 after several complaints were filed against him due to an article published in his newspaper.
The article in question mocked the president and the state, calling them “idiotic” following a terrorist attack that killed16 Egyptian border guards in Rafah last month.
Facing similar charges are the editor-in-chief of Al-Fagr newspaper, Adel Hamouda, the editor-in-chief of Al-Dostour newspaper, Eslam Afifi and controversial television presenter Tawfiq Okasha.
“Qandil was known for his anti-Mubarak articles under the old regime, yet he was never arrested. Now, after he supported Morsi in the election runoff he's being charged with defaming him,” added Safy El-Din.
There has been growing concern about press freedom in Egypt since the election of President Morsi. Charges have been brought against a number of journalists, articles have been censored and Islamist or pro-Muslim Brotherhood figures have been appointed to the position of editor at state-owned newspapers.
“Nothing happens without a reason. The allegations against Qandil and the others give us a taste of what is to come, policies that make our protest today extremely necessary,” said Nadia Refaat, a translator who joined the protest.
Criticising and questioning those in authority is vital for democracy, and the Brotherhood should step down if they are unable to accept this, she added.
Refaat saluted Morsi's recent decision to end the pre-trial detention of journalists, but called for press freedom to be guaranteed in the constitution.
The protesters condemned the Brotherhood and compared its policies to those of the former regime.
“Shave your beard and reveal your shame, your face is that of Mubarak,” said one chant.
Omar Abdel-Sabour, a young member of Kefaya – the group that organised the protest – said he was against what he called the “Brotherhoodisation" of the state.
“We didn't overthrow Mubarak's National Democratic Party to replace it with a new version,” said Abdel-Sabour.
He also accused the Brotherhood of cooperating with the Mubarak regime before the January 25 Revolution, which allowed them to “win so many seats in the 2005 parliamentary election.”
“If a political disenfranchisement law was imposed on the remnants of the former regime, it should also be placed on the Brotherhood for cooperating with Mubarak,” added Abdel-Sabour.
Another Ahram Online report said Sept. 3, 2012 :
The trial against Al-Dostour Editor-in-Chief Islam Afify on charges of insulting the Muslim Brotherhood's Essam El-Erian, the acting chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political wing, has been adjourned to mid-October.
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At the start of the trial, the misdemeanour court in Dokki where the trial is being held was very packed with supporters of Afifi.
On 21 June Al-Dostour newspaper, which is known for its anti-Brotherhood coverage, published an article that many found provocative in which they accused the top leadership of the Brotherhood Khairat El-Shater and Essam El-Erian of cooking up a massacre in Egypt if their candidate, Mohamed Morsi, failed to win the presidential race in run-offs against Mubarak-era minister, Ahmed Shafiq.
The article's headline was “The Massacre of the Century... In Egypt !”
Earlier, on August 9, 2012 an Ahram Online report said:
In an escalation of tension between journalists and the Shura Council in Egypt , several regular writers leave their columns blank in independent newspapers Thursday in protest against what they see as the latter's unjustified powers. They considered it is an an attempt from the Muslim Brotherhood to control state owned newspapers and publications.
Mohamed Salmawy, former chief editor of Al-Ahram Hebdo , leaves his Masry Al Youm column blank in protest against MB attempt to take over state owned press.
In Al-Tahrir independent newspaper, famed pro-revolution columnist Omar Taher left his daily column blank, writing one phrase only: “Leaving the column blank to protest the interference of the Shura Council in choosing national editors-in-chief in Egypt .”
Gamal Fahmy, another well known writer and secretary general of the Journalists' Syndicate, who also writes in Al-Tahrir newspaper, left his column blank too. “This space is blank to protest the hereditary system that did not fall with the ousting of Mubarak and his son. It seems that the Muslim Brotherhood is trying to revive it after it was blinded by arrogance. This protest is against their control of the public owned media,” said Fahmy in his column.
Magdy El-Gald, editor-in-chief of Al-Watan independent newspaper left his column blank Thursday except for the, “This space is left blank to object the attempts of the Muslim Brotherhood to control national press and publicly owned media institutions just like the ousted president used to do.”
Several writers in Al-Watan newspaper joined El-Gald and left their columns empty, like Moatez Abdel Fatah, Ammar Ali Hassan, Khairy Ramadan and Amr Hamzawy.
Several columnists in the independent Youm 7 daily newspaper also left their columns blank, like Karm Gabr, who only wrote: “To protest the attempts of Muslim Brotherhood to take over the press and media.”
Journalist and former MP Mostafa Bakry has resigned from the Supreme Council of Press to object the latest appointments of editors in chief. In his resignation to Ahmed Fahmy, head of the Supreme Council of Press and member of the Shura Council, and a Muslim Brotherhood and Freedom and Justice Party member, Bakry said he could not continue while the Muslim Brotherhood sought to monopolise the media in Egypt .
Earlier, on Wednesday, the Shura Council in which Islamists are dominant announced the names of editors-in-chief of state owned publications. Many journalists reject that the Shura Council hold power of appointment of such head positions, believing this was abused by the ruling party in the past to control the state owned media. Many journalists and activists voiced fears that this heralded an imposition of an Islamist-dominated agenda on the press.
A number of editors-in-chief from official, partisan and independent newspapers called on columnists Tuesday to leave their columns blank to object the appointments.
Confiscation of Dostour newspaper raises fears over freedom of the press.
Several activists who are critical of Al-Dostour newspaper for its anti-revolutionaries stances criticise a decision to silence the paper, worry that the Brotherhood is reincarnating Mubarak-style limits on freedom of the press.
Hassan Badie managing editor of Al-Dostour accused the Muslim Brotherhood of being behind the charges and the decision to raid the offices.
“The Muslim Brotherhood's youth have been demonstrating frequently outside the newspaper headquarters,” Badie told state-run MENA , describing their alleged actions as a threatening message.
The managing editor urged the Press Syndicate to stand by Al-Dostour in the face of the “this fierce campaign against freedom of the press and expression.”
A statement published on Al-Dostour 's website accused security forces of raiding Al-Gomhouriyya Print House, where the newspaper gets printed. The statement goes on to say that while officers demanded that the print moulds be handed over, officials at the print house refused as they had no permit.
Although many revolutionaries and activists are deeply critical of the editorial policies of Al-Dostour , they are also critical of the judicial moves being taken against the paper.
Ibrahim Eissa, Al-Dostour 's former editor-in-chief, sacked in 2010 for his anti-Mubarak views, described the confiscation of the newspaper as a return to “the time of one-party rule.”
In 2007, Eissa who now acts as chief-editor of Al-Tahrir newspaper, was sentenced to a year imprisonment for “insulting the president,” but later pardoned by then president Mubarak.
“We may disagree with the newspaper's editorial, but still our reference will always be freedom of expression,” Eissa wrote on his official Facebook Page.
Revolutionary activist Alaa Abdel-Fatah, who spent months in jail last year for opposing military rule, similarly said, “We've been sent to prisons many times for insulting the president, this accusation is a threat to freedom.”
Khaled Ali, the former leftist presidential candidate and labour lawyer, has also voiced his opposition to the attacks on Al-Dostour , stressing that freedom of expression and of the press cannot be compromised.
On his Twitter account, human rights lawyer Gamal Eid described the raid as an “attack of thugs.”
Activist Nawara Negm, who faced military questioning last year, and once described Al-Dostour newspaper as a voice for “the remnants of former regime” also condemned the attack on Twitter saying that “respecting the president will not come by force. A million confiscations will not force us to respect the president if his stances do not command respect.”
In another report Ahram Online said on Thursday Aug. 16, 2012 :
Wahid Abdel-Meguid, official spokesman of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting Egypt 's new constitution, lambasted Thursday articles of the draft constitution concerned with press freedom and media rights.
Abdel-Meguid explained in a memorandum handed to the assembly that the article concerning the independence of national press organisations and television did not define what is meant by independence, and so must be re-written.
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