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Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt” January
Conducted byMarianne Sedhom
Reviewed byAhmed Ragab
Cover Design byAbdulrahman Mohamed
�e Egyptian Center For Public Policy Studies
All copyrights are reserved to their respective authors,it is permitted to use the data included after citingthe resources, any copyright infringement subjectsits perpetrator to legal claims
Issued by Individual Freedom Program2017
www.ecpps.orgTel./Fax. : +202795881
21 Abd El-Mgeed El-Ramaly st, 7th �oor,Flat 71, Falaki square,Downtown, Cairo, Egypt
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
1 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies (ECPPS) is a non-governmental, non-party
and non-profit organization with a mission to propose public policies that aim at reforming
the Egyptian legal and economic systems. ECPPS’s goal is to promote the principles of free
market, individual freedom and the rule of law.
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
2 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies issues this monthly observation
report on the freedom of media in Egypt as an attempt to monitor the freedom
and independence of media in Egypt within the following five spheres:
Political
sphere
Role of
Civil society
Legal
sphere
Economic
sphere
Performance of media
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
3 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
Content
Introduction
Legal sphere
Political sphere
Economic sphere
Media Performance
Role of Civil Society
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
4 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
Introduction
This report monitors the legal developments concerned with media and press,
freedom of access to information, sentences against media workers, and the
political situation affecting them directly or indirectly; such as censorship,
prevention, confiscation, and others. The guide also monitors the economic
situation, as well as the extent of media’s professionalism in covering incidents,
and in displaying all views, particularly those of the opposition. Finally, it monitors
the efforts of civil society in defending the freedom of media and press, and
access to information, through publishing reports, and holding conferences during
the month of January 2017.
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
5 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
Legal Sphere
Laws:
President Abdulfattah al Sisi issued a decree to enact the "Media" Syndicate Law.1
President of the Journalists' Syndicate Yehia Kallash received a letter from the
Presidency asking him to send the syndicate's recommendations for the
candidates of the Media Authorities, after the ratification of "Media and Press
Institutional Regulatory Laws". Kallash added that the syndicate will recommend
four members for the "Supreme Council for the Media Regulation", while the
Presidency will choose two of the council's members and 6 of the National Press
Authority members, and three of the authority's members. Kallash also pointed
out that the Presidency requested submitting the resume of each candidate.2
News Embargo Decrees:
Prosecutor General, Counselor Nabil Sadek issued a news embargo decree in the
case known as "The Major Bribery", within which Procurements Manager of the
State's Council, Gamal el Labban, and Former State Council Secretary General,
Judge Wael Shalaby 3-who was found dead in his cell according to security forces-
are charged.
And within days, the Higher Judicial Council issued a decree prohibiting judges,
counselors and members of the Public Prosecution from publishing any news
related to the judicial affairs and judges on all digital websites (social media
networks), regardless of their nature or whom they are related to.
The contravention of the news embargo decree will lead to executing the
disciplinary penalties included in the judicial authorities’ law or to informing the
investigative authorities if necessary.4
1 Al Watan Newspaper https://goo.gl/rzdaeP
2 Youm 7 Newspaper https://goo.gl/rSV0Jl
3 Al Masry Al Youm Newspaper https://goo.gl/mSXQbf
4 Al Ahram Gate https://goo.gl/5722xv
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
6 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
Publishing Lawsuits:
Lawyer, Ali Ayoub -representing Journalist Hosam Al Suefy accused of publishing
"false news" regarding the Islands Tiran and Sanafir- , filed a lawsuit against TV
Presenter Ahmed Mousa and Journalist Mostafa Bakry; accusing them of the
incitation of the imprisonment of their colleagues, criticized judges of the State
Council, publishing false news about the islands, and publishing a book by Bakry
at variance with the pronounced judgments.5
Prosecutor General has referred a communication against Ahmed Mousa for
publishing "recordings of Mohamed el Baradei, PhD, and Lieutenant General Sami
Anan".6
Others:
Security Forces discharged photojournalists of Al Fagr Newspaper after being held
for more than half an hour. The photojournalists had been arrested and assaulted
while on duty covering a protest by the families of 15 Egyptians kidnapped in
Libya.7
Suez Prosecution discharged Al Badil Newspaper's journalist, after being arrested
while filming a report in one of the governorate's streets, on the grounds of
filming without a permit.8
Due to the statute of limitation, two criminal cases against the Journalist
Abdelhalim Kandil have been dropped. Journalist and Editor in Chief of Sot Al
Omma Newspaper, Abelhalim Kandil, had been accused of insult and defamation.
The first lawsuit was filed by Former Head of Banque du Caire, and Head of
Egyptian Investment Fund, Ahmed Abdellatif Mounir El Baradei, on grounds of
publishing an article in which El Baradei was mentioned. The article was entitled
"The Survivors of the Revolution's Flames and Tora's Cells". The second lawsuit
5 Al Bedaya Newspaper https://goo.gl/FhA8zq
6 Al Tahrir Newspaper https://goo.gl/Vp2cjr
7 Al Bedaya Newspaper https://goo.gl/qb3g6F
8 Al Fagr Newspaper https://goo.gl/KT69gn
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
7 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
was filed by Chairman of the Central Housing Cooperative Union's board,
Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Al Mesery. The lawsuit was filed on account of an
article in which Al Mesery was mentioned, accused of practicing an organized
terroristic process against associations, and claimed to still be the Secretary of the
General Intelligence Agency. Publishing these claims requires paying each plaintiff
10 thousand Egyptian Pounds. 9
Political Sphere
President Abdelfattah Al Sisi said, during an aired phone call with TV Presenter
Amr Adib, that "the media only expressed one opinion during the 1967 war... the
state, its agencies, media, and all institutions expressed one opinion and had one
orientation, and that was during three years starting 1967 and until the ceasefire
in 1970. He added: "But was the public behind this confrontation? No. And that is
the case in Egypt since 2011. The current state of media now is different than that
of before."10
The Minister of Education issued a decree limiting journalists to those within the
information office inside the ministry; to avoid leaking any information to any
other journalist without his permission.11
Security Forces prevented the Editor of Al Bedaya Newspaper, and
Photojournalist of Al Watan Newspaper from completing the coverage of the
protest held by the families of the kidnapped in Libya, and demanded they leave. 12
9 ONA News Agency https://goo.gl/D3BSyQ
10 Zahma dot com https://goo.gl/KwcuaE
11 Journalists Against Torture Observatory (JATO) https://goo.gl/DM08rz
12 Al Bedaya Newspaper https://goo.gl/zsWO56
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
8 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
Before the beginning of the New Year, the program "Maa Ibrahim Eissa" had been
ceased from airing on Al Qahera Wal Nas TV Channel.13
The dispute between Journalist Gamal El Gamal and Editor in Chief of Al Masry Al
Youm Newspaper was intensified after the elimination of an article written by the
first. The article was entitled "Tiran... The Labyrinth of the General". El Gamal
claims that the Editors in Chief respond to political pressures, and apply self-
censorship.14
Relatives of the counselor of "The Bribery Case" assaulted the Photojournalist of
Youm 7 Newspaper in front of Zeinhom Morgue, and destroyed the equipment of
the photojournalist; to prevent him from covering the discharge of the cadaver of
the counselor, who committed suicide, from the morgue.15
Economic Sphere
Cherry Media Company took over the management of Al Asema Channels
Network, which was run by MP Saeed Hasaseen. Deputy to Chairman of the Board
of Cherry Media and Former Spokesman of the Armed Forces, Admiral Mohamed
Samir will run Al Asema.16
Chairman of the Board of Egyptian Media Production City, Osama Heikal, met
with the Minister of Planning and Development, Ashraf Al Araby, PhD, to explore
potential investments and means of developing the Media Production City in the
upcoming years.17
13
Al Shorouk Newspaper https://goo.gl/zGlz0p 14
Dot Masr Wesbite https://goo.gl/2fw7uZ 15
Youm 7 Newspaper https://goo.gl/XacCe8 16
Masr Al Arabia News Website https://goo.gl/aizgWV 17
Al Ahram Gate https://goo.gl/puh6IV
Monthly Observation Report “Freedom of Media in Egypt”
January 2017
9 The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies - ECPPS
Media Performance
Many public figures condemned what Media Broadcaster, Yasmin El Khatib,
suffered during an episode of Al Wasat Al Fanny TV Program, aired on the
Channel LTC. During the program presented by Ahmed Abdelaziz, El Khatib
suffered insult and defamation. The public figures commented that this mean is
used by the media to get at any woman, adding that it is contravenes the Code of
Ethics of Press and Media.18
Role of Civil Society
The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies (ECPPS) held several public meetings
discussing its published report entitled "Freedom of Media and Press... A Horizon
for Reform”19. ECPPS also published a monthly report 20 on the freedom of media.
Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) also published a semi-
annual booklet within the Program "Freedom of Press and Media". AFTE observed
the violations suffered by the media and press community since July 25th of 2016
till December 28th of 2016.21
Journalists against Torture Observatory (JATO) published their annual report on
the violations against media freedoms during 2016.22
18
Veto Gate https://goo.gl/sQfCc5 19
The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies (ECPPS) https://goo.gl/9znQyW 20
The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies (ECPPS) https://goo.gl/Kary34 21
Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) https://goo.gl/4r8qV5 22
Journalists against Torture Observatory (JATO) https://goo.gl/eojunx
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