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The Internet In the Arab World
A New Space of Repression?
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United Arab Emirates:
Freedom of expression is missing despite a decision banning imprisonment for press crimes
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Egypt’s Third Ban on Publishing Topics
In an Aggressive Attack on the Press Freedom and Right to Access to Information
Cairo, 23rd September, 2008
The Arab Network for Human Rights Information condemned today’s decision, issued by the press office at the Ministry of Information, to prohibit reporting on the recent kidnapping of eight Egyptians and 11 foreign tourists.
The kidnapping, which occurred on Friday, September 19th, had already been reported by Egyptian and International media sources before the ban was issued. This ban represents a limitation on press freedom in Egypt and violates citizens’ right to knowledge and access to information. The ban is also not legally valid, as the press office for the Ministry of Information does not possess the authority to issue such a decision.
Only a few hours after the ban was announced, however, it was revoked. Egyptian journalists were shocked at the conflicting announcements, which seemed to demonstrate confusion on the part of the Ministry of Information.
“Issuing and then revoking this decision shows the lack of transparency present in the public sphere about press freedom; we are in a state of chaos and disorientation,” said Ibrahim Mansour, executive director of Addustour newspaper.
“I received a phone call from the press office at the Ministry of Information at 1:00 pm yesterday notifying me of the decision to prohibit publishing on the kidnapping case, though we already had the story prepared. Two hours later I received another call from the same office, telling me to disregard the ban and act like it had never been issued,” said Yassir al-Zayat, editor-in-chief of Al-Badeel newspaper.
The decision to ban publishing on a public opinion news is the third of its kind in a two-month period. The first decision was issued by the Egyptian Prosecutor General to ban reporting on the murder of Lebanese signer Suzanne Tamim on August 11th, 2008. The second ban was issued to prevent the circulation of news about the September 9th indictment of an Egyptian businessman on charges of bribery.
Seven journalists from “Addustour”, “Al-Tariq” and “Al-Badeel” newspapers were later investigated for breaking the publishing bans on these two cases. The third ban was revoked before any violations could take place.
“It is unjust to deprive the Egyptian journalists of their right to publish in specific cases, while international news outlets continue to broadcast these stories.” said the Arab Network for Human Rights-anhri.net.
Therefore, said a spokesperson for the ANHRI, “We will proceed with the lawsuit filed with the Hisham Mubarak Law Center challenging the Prosecutor General’s decision to prohibit reporting on Suzanne Tamim’s murder, and will not stop until we obtain a ruling that ensures journalists’ right to report on any story they choose. These bans threaten press freedom and are in violation of Constitutional articles that ensure press freedom in Egypt, as well as article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Egypt has been a signatory for the past 27 years.”
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
For more information:
http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2008/pr0825.shtml
http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2008/pr0810.shtml
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