Cairo, 28 February 2012

 The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) and the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) welcome the sentence issued on 27 February by Nasr City Court of Misdemeanors against General Abel Moniem Kato, adviser in the Morale Affairs Department of the Egyptian armed forces. The sentence fined Kato 10 thousand Egyptian pounds (approx. 1657 $US), and another 10001 pounds (approx. 1657 $US) as a temporary civil compensation on charges of inciting against protesters and calling on burning them in his press remarks.

The two organizations had filed a lawsuit to the Nasr city Court of Misdemeanors in December 2011 against retired General Kato because of his remarks to al-Shorouk Egyptian newspaper in its 19 December 2011 issue, which included incitement against the protesters and calls to burn them in “Hitler’s incinerators”. The hearings of the case were deliberated until the verdict was pronounced in yesterday’s hearing, convicting and fining Kato.

“The amount of the fine is not large in proportion to the hate speech of General Kato. However, the conviction itself represents establishment of equity from the Court’s part to the Egyptian revolutionaries. The sentence should be a lesson for anyone considering to incite citizens relying on his political position,” said the organizations.

For more information

General Kato to Be Tried on 1 FEB. 2012

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