مركز ماعت للدراسات الحقوقية والدستورية

Maat Calls for Forming an Independent Committee to Investigate With Journalists…

And Warns that constituency Cases May Turn to be a Political Pretext.

16\09\2007.

Maat center observed the judgment issued form Al Agooza Summary Court. The judgment was a year prison with penal servitude for Waael Al Abreshe editor-in-chief of Sawt Al Omaa (the nation’s voice) newspaper, Ibrahem Eyesa editor-in-chief of Al Dostoor (the constitution) newspaper, and Aadel Hamooda editor-in-chief of Al Fagr (the dawn )newspaper, and Abd El Haleem Qandeel ex-editor-in-chief of Al Karama (the dignity) newspaper. The judgment stated also a fine of 20 thousand LE and 10thousand LE to release them after they were accused in a clear political constituency case of humiliating the National Party symbols, the head of which is the president of the state.

The center is sorry because of continuing episodes of the judicial chasing series along with the process of shutting newspapers’ mouths-specially the independent ones-it may not be a chance that the biggest special journalism institution’s editors-in-chief are together in one accusation and one case. This is after the Egyptian judiciary accepts the constituency case which we fear that it may turn to political pretext for corrupted men and mercenaries, so we may found unknown men chase honor men of pens owners judicially on the behalf of those of bad reputation. The most dangerous matter is the continuing of the violent war between those who are responsible of governmental newspaper and their colleagues in the independent ones, in which the paper war on pages of their newspapers looks like hitting with rocks. We also notice in the governmental papers’ tone the superiority and the devotion to defend demolishing and shutting up independent papers’ mouths, or generally claim that these newspapers’ freedom is a governmental gift and that their owners have to regain it.

The judiciary judgment, on which we will not comment, make us sorry about pens’ freedom and their owners reaction with the real nation’s issues away from bidding or exploiting civilians’ problems. This sorrow may be because the hard punishments that threaten the journalists’ future with their weak salaries exceeded punishments of those who are seized with drugs. In the matter of imprisoning the four editors-in-chief we may found some thing harsher, that cases of judiciary chasing of journalists with the accusation of humiliating symbols became especially for the stats’ head and the government’s party before any other position. This is a new transformation in the relation between journalism and the system who accept to be democratic but it is not suitable for its dream- to achieve democracy and freedom of opinion and of expression- to chase pens owners through its men to answer words by iron.

The center, while announcing its full condemnation of systematic chasing of journalism and free journalists after amending publishing laws, assures its support and full sustenance of freedom of opinion and expression and appreciates efforts of pens owners in searching for the reality and in chasing corruption. The center also calls for cancelling all punishment articles which accept journalists’ imprisoning in opinion cases. In addition, it calls to exchange trailing of journalists before courts by investigating with them through independent high committee formed of number of men of law, men of legislation and judiciary, some information masters and judiciary men. This committee has to receive all complains regarding the published material on newspapers, the government has to finance it and not to interfere in its work. It may be more effective to hold a discussion with the concerned journalists about ways of its formation.

The center also calls for collecting judicial and social efforts to prevent repeating chokes with journalism parallel with the followed campaigns against civil society organizations as a whole.

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