Monthly Observation ReportFreedom of Media in Egypt

January 2017

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

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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

Monthly Observation

Freedom of Media

in EgyptReport

January 2017

21 Abd El-Mgeed El-Ramaly st, 7th �oor,Flat 71, Falaki square,Downtown, Cairo, Egypt

www.ecpps.orgTel./Fax. : +202795881