Cairo August 16,2012

ANHRI deeply denounce the attack on the freedom of opinion and speech, which represented in the stopping of publishing of several articles in the national newspapers. The attack reach it climax when “Al-Akhbar” stopped the publishing the articles of the writer and the novelist “Ibrahim Abdulmeged” which used to be published on every Thursday morning.

The great writer said “the decision of stopping my articles is consistent with the new editing policy launched by the new editor in chief, “Mohamed Hasan El-Bana” the writer, who was appointed by the Shoura Council last week.

“Abdelmeeged” indicated that the policy of the new editor in chief is to stop dealing with the writers who criticizes the Muslim Brotherhood Group. He added the newspaper’s officials said that all the opinion articles, for whom outside of the newspaper, will be stopped.

He added “it is regretful to say that the editors in chief appointed by the National Democratic party were more professionals”.

In the same context “Medhat El-Adl” said that he stopped writing to “Al-Akhbar” after the clear interference in his articles, “due to the editing policy changed in the favor of the Islamic trend” he added.

The news spread that the stopping of “Free Opinion Page” in “Al-Akhbar” Newspaper”, which is a page full with several Egyptian writers and creators as “Mohamod El-Werdani”, “Medhat El-Adl” and “Abdelmeeged”.

Opinion Page’s supervisor said that “the newspaper is desperately in need to economy, readers mail and local news pages!

“Al-Akhbar” previously stopped the publishing of an articles to the great writer “yusuf El-Qaeed” under the name of “Neither listening nor obedience”, in which he denounces the youth of the Muslim brotherhood group of the siegeing of the Egyptian Media Production City, threating and assaulting the media-figures due to criticizing the president.

“Al-Qaeed” said this matter is conducted because the writings that criticizes the Muslim brotherhood policies, as well as accusing the editors-in chief that he tends to them and he won’t publish opinions against the MB in the newspaper.

Last week “Al-Akhbar” banned the publishing of an article to the big writer “Ableeah El-rewaini” as she described the appointing of the new editor in chief as “Brotherization” of the newspapers. The publishing officials asked her to delete the expression of “Brotherization”, but she refused so the article was banned.

“Al-Ahram” took the same steps through banning the publishing of the ex-leader in MB article, who used to criticizes them in his articles.

It is also stopped the publishing of “A hundred days of the president’s promises” by the decision of the new editor in chief “Abdulnasser Salama” without reasons. The page aimed to monitor the president to fulfill his promises of the first hundred days of his rule.

ANHRI resentments this severe attack targeted the freedom of speech and opinion. It warns of getting back to the practices of the old regime which aim to silence the mouths and harass the freedom of journalism which are the important guarantee to a good political life.

ANHRI said “the repeated stopping of the articles in the national newspapers are a backdrop in the freedom of speech and opinion, that activation deemed to be a significant gain of the January 25th revolution”.

ANHRI said “we fear that the newspapers’ new policy aims to banning the criticizing of the Muslim brotherhood group in the light of the control, of Shoura Council of the MB’s majority, on the process of appointing the leaders of these newspapers.

ANHRI calls for the necessity of changing the ownership of these newspapers and liberating it from the government as well as taking the procedures to fix the media to guarantee creating an independent, professional and credible media.