Cairo 31 May 2011

ANHRI has severely condemned today the ongoing policy of the Military Council in suppressing the freedom of expression and dispersing fear among Egyptian journalists, people working in the media and judges as well. The investigations related to freedom of expression don’t stop as currently three judges, five journalists and people working in the media are being investigated for criticizing the Military Council or holding discussions about it in the media, though the current political role of the Military Council is bound to accept all types of criticism against it even tough ones, citing that it had repeatedly declared its support to freedom of expression and acceptance of criticism.

Starting from today, five journalists and people working in the media are under martial investigation in the martial prosecution after they had criticized High Council for Armed Forces or held discussions about it via the media. The High Council for Armed Forces is ruling Egypt since the Egyptian Dictator Hosni Mubarak has been toppled. The people under investigations are the announcer “Rim Maged”, the leftist blogger Hossam El Hamlawi, the journalist Nabil Sharaf El Din, chief-in-editor of Al Wafd weekly Sayed Abdel Ati, and the journalist Hossam El Swefi in Nasr City Cairo.

Also three eminent judges were being investigated for talking in TV and Radio programmes and criticizing the martial courts against civilians and urging reform in the judicial body. The three judges are the Counselor Hassan El Naggar president of the Zagazig Judges Club, Alaa Shawky head of Giza Court of Assizes, and Ashraf Nada head of Beni Suef Appellate Court.

Hossam Al Hamlawi has demanded in last Thursday series of “Baladna bel masry” show which is presented by Rim Maged that military police should be investigated for violating detainees and that General Hamdy Badin, being the head of the military police, is held responsible for these violations.

Nabil Sharaf el Din has expressed in a TV interview that he believed a bargain between the Armed Forces and the Muslim Brotherhood Group has taken place, and it is the same belief published by Al Wafd newspaper journalists. General Mamdouh Shahin, Minister of Defense Assistant and member of the High Council for Armed Forces, has denied such matter in a TV call and indicated that Nabil Sharaf El Din could be prosecuted. Nabil Sharaf has considered this to be a threat in a TV call before he was actually summoned for investigation.

ANHRI declared “Once again we reiterate that the Egyptian revolution had broken out against the oppression, suppression and violation of freedom of expression, and the sovereignty of law means evidently that nobody is above criticism including the High Council for Armed Forces which is currently playing a political role. The High Council for Armed Forces mistakenly believes that it is on the right track by continuing the suppression of all voices criticizing it. The Military Council members are no angels and sometimes they do mistakes and they should learn from their mistakes through these types of criticism.

ANHRI added “The military council knows well that some military forces have tortured some of the Egyptian protesters and that many girls have been offended by performing virginity checks on their bodies in addition to the unjust martial courts held against thousands of civilians!! Does the military council want that these suppressive measures should not be criticized? This is impossible and no more human rights violations will be ignored in Egypt after 25 January Revolution.