1

News Coverage

prepared for: The European Union delegation

to Egypt

Disclaimer:

“This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The

contents of this document are the sole responsibility of authors of articles and under no

circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of IPSOS or the European Union.”

2

Thematic Headlines Domestic Scene

o Tahrir Protesters Chant against Shafiq and Morsi o Popular Campaign to Invalidate Votes in the Runoff o Egyptian Expatriates to Begin Voting in the Runoff o People Respect Democracy and Refuse to Participate in Anti-Shafiq Protests o Judge to Issue Final Verdict in Mubarak’s Trial o Presidential Pledge Document to Ensure a Civil State o Tahrir Divided on Isolating Remnants o Baradei: Egypt to Transform into Democratic System within Month o Hamdeen Sabahi against MB o Parties Decide on Constituent Assembly Criteria Today o West Overestimated Liberals in Egypt Elections - Analysis o Suez Supports MB Presidential Candidate

3

Newspapers (2/06/2012)

Page: 1. Authors: Sameh Lashin, Emad Saber (and others).

Tahrir Protesters Chant against Shafiq and Morsi

Thousands of protesters in Cairo, Alexandria and other governorates participated in the

Friday protests titled “Political Isolation of Regime Remnants.” Protesters called for a political isolation of figures of the former Mubarak regime and

demanded applying the Political Isolation Law on Ahmed Shafiq, former prime minister, who came second in the first round of presidential elections.

In Tahrir Square, protesters refused the results of the first round of presidential elections

and confirmed that elections were rigged. They accused the Presidential Elections Commission of fraud and confirmed that they would never accept Shafiq to be the country’s next president. They also chanted slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mohamed Morsi, accusing the MB of lying and betraying the revolution.

Dozens of protesters who participated in marches that headed towards Tahrir Square

called on people to express their refusal of the two presidential candidates by boycotting the runoff.

Similar news was reported in: Al-Gomhoria: Pages 4, 5, 6.

4

Page: 3. Author: Samir Al-Sayed.

Popular Campaign to Invalidate Votes in the Runoff

A number of activists launched an initiative to invalidate 10 million votes in the runoff

stage of Egypt’s presidential elections to protest against the two final contenders. The campaign issued its first statement calling for a wide-scale popular campaign to

head to the polling stations and invalidate votes to express people’s rejection of rigging the first round of presidential elections.

“We pay respect the blood of the revolution’s martyrs, thus we refuse religious

authoritarianism and military dictatorship,” said the campaign statement. They described presidential elections as a farce to cover up secret deals between the old Mubarak regime and the Muslim Brotherhood.

5

Page: 1 Author: Mahmoud Gawish, Walid Magdi, Haitham el-Sharqawi, Ebtessam Taalab, Alaa Sarhan and Azza Moghazi

Tahrir Divided on Isolating Remnants

A few hundreds of people took part in a rally in Cairo’s famous Tahrir Square to call for politically isolating the former regime remnants and express rejection of the results of the first round of the presidential elections.

The protesters in the square were divided: some were supporting runoff presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, while others said they refuse both candidates and finally some called for staging a sit-in in the square to halt the elections.

6

Page: 1 Authors: Ebtessam Taalab

Baradei: Egypt to Transform into Democratic System within Month

Political activist Mohamed el-Baradei expressed optimism about positive indications showing a looming consensus in the pipes among political powers.

Egypt will transform into a democratic system within one month peacefully, Baradei said in a conference held in the Belgian capital of Brussels, held under the banner “Friends of Europe.”

7

Page: 3. Authors: Hisham Al-Basyouni and Mohamed Morsi.

Egyptian Expatriates to Begin Voting in the Runoff

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has finished preparations for the runoff stage of

presidential elections. Egyptian expatriates will begin voting tomorrow until June 9. Ambassador Amr Roshdi, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the

ministry sent additional staff to Egypt’s embassies and consulates as the first round of presidential elections saw a high voter turnout, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Doha.

Roshdi also confirmed that the procedures of voting will be the same as the first round. Head of the Presidential Elections Commission Senior Judge Farouk Soltan said 586.000

eligible voters in 166 countries will begin voting tomorrow. He also said that vote counting will take place immediately after voting ends and representatives of presidential candidates and civil society organization will monitor the process.

8

Pages: 1, 4. Authors: Hussein Ramzi, Diyaa’ Al-Sayed (and others).

People Respect Democracy and Refuse to Participate in Anti-Shafiq Protests

Few numbers responded to the calls of Friday protests titled “Political Isolation of

Regime Remnants” as Tahrir Square was calm and only one stage was erected. Meanwhile, there were several marches in Cairo and Giza heading from different mosques towards Tahrir Square.

Protesters demanded SCAF to hand over power and demanded the next president to

protect the civil nature of the state. They chanted slogans supporting ex-contender Hamdeen Sabbahi and considering him a leader to the January 25 revolution. Dozens of protesters in governorates took off to the streets to support Tahrir Square; however, their numbers were very low.

9

Page: 1 Author: Mena Sharafeddin and Raya Noureddin

Hamdeen Sabahi against MB

Ex-presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi said he was against the domination of the Muslim Brotherhood over all political position.

Sabahi announced he would boycott the second round of the presidential elections, which will be held between Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi and former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq.

In a statement issued by his campaign, Sabahi said used to defend the MB when it suffered suppression under the former regime but when the group become hungry for power, he stood against it.

10

Pages: 1, 6, 7. Authors: Mostafa Eid and Ahmed Adli.

Judge to Issue Final Verdict in Mubarak’s Trial

The eyes of Egyptians and people around the world are now fixed on the Police

Academy where the ousted president Hosni Mubarak, his two sons Alaa and Gamal, his former minister of interior Habib Al-Adli, and six security officials, await the court’s final verdict in the charges of killing peaceful protesters and corruption.

Senior Judge Ahmed Ref’at, head of the Mubarak trial, will announce the verdict as

scheduled today at 10:00 AM, putting a closure for the long-awaited “Trial of the Century.” More than 10.000 CSF soldiers are guarding the Police Academy, in addition to army

vehicles and tanks, to counter any possible attempts of violence. Also, strict security measures were taken around the International Medical Center where Mubarak was held pending trial.

Judicial sources explained that Mubarak and other defendants will face one of three

scenarios; if convicted they will either be imprisoned or executed if the court was certain that they gave orders for soldiers to shoot peaceful protester, the third scenario would be acquittal if they were not found guilty based on the testimonies of Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who testified that Mubarak never gave orders to kill peaceful protesters.

Similar news was reported in: Al-Dostour: Pages 1, 6, 7; Al-Ahram: Pages 1, 6, 7; Al-Gomhoria:

Page 5.

11

Page: 3. Authors: Mostafa Hashim and Ahmed Eweis.

Presidential Pledge Document to Ensure a Civil State

A number of political forces, parties and public figures launched an initiative titled “Covenant of the Pledge” to oblige Egypt’s new president to protect the civil nature of the state.

Intellectuals who signed the document said they will not support one of the two final

presidential candidates competing in the runoff, and will leave it up to the people to decide their future.

Dr. Abd Al-Ghaffar Shokr, co-founder of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, said they

prepared a plan to gather popular support for the initiative to form a public opinion that obliges the next president to commit to the principles mentioned in the document.

The document aims at taking vows from the next president not to transform Egypt into a

religious or military state and not to prosecute political opposition.

Similar news was reported in: Al-Dostour: Pages 1, 4; Al-Ahram: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5; Al-Gomhoria:

Page 3.

12

’ Page: 3 Author: Nermin Abdel-Zaher

Parties Decide on Constituent Assembly Criteria Today

Political parties will be meeting today to set the final criteria for choosing members of the Constituent Assembly that would write the nation’s new constitution.

No political parties so far have announced not attending the meeting.

13

Page: 3 Author: Reem Abdel-Hamed

West Overestimated Liberals in Egypt Elections – Analysis

The Egyptian presidential election was held last week. No candidate received 50 percent of the vote, so a runoff will be held between the two leading candidates, Mohammed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq.

Morsi represented the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and received 25.3 percent of the vote, while Shafiq, a former Egyptian air force commander and the last prime minister to serve in Hosni Mubarak's administration, received 24.9 percent, George Freidman of

the Stratfor Global Intelligence wrote.

Morsi and Shafiq effectively tied in the first round, and either can win the next round. Morsi's strength is that he has the support of both the Islamist elements and those who fear a Shafiq presidency and possible return to the old regime. Shafiq's strength is that he speaks for those who fear an Islamist regime.

This is not how the West, nor many Egyptians, thought the Arab Spring would turn out in Egypt. Their mistake was overestimating the significance of the democratic secularists, how representative the anti-Mubarak demonstrators were of Egypt as a whole, and the degree to which those demonstrators were committed to Western-style democracy rather than a

democracy that represented Islamist values.

What was most underestimated was the extent to which the military regime had support, even if Mubarak did not. Shafiq, the former prime minister in that regime, could very well win. The regime may not have generated passionate support or even been respected in many ways, but it served the interests of any number of people.

14

Egypt is a cosmopolitan country, and one that has many people who still take seriously the idea of an Arab, rather than Islamist, state. They fear the Muslim Brotherhood and radical Islamism and have little confidence in the ability of other parties, such as the socialists, who came in third, to protect them. For some, such as the Copts, the Islamists are an existential threat. The military regime, whatever its defects, is a known bulwark against the Muslim Brotherhood. The old order is attractive to many because it is known; what the Muslim Brotherhood will become is not known and is frightening to those committed to secularism. They would rather live under the old regime.

15

Page: 6 Authors: Hossam Saleh

Suez Supports MB Presidential Candidate

Dozens of people in Suez governorate staged a rally in the “Al-Shohdaa Square” to announce their support for presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who will be facing in the runoff former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

They also held banners calling for applying the political disenfranchisement law on Mubarak-era minister Shafiq.

16

TV Coverage (01/06/2012)

Channel: al-Hayah Program: al-Hayah al-Yom Presenter: Lubna Assal

Demonstrators on “No for Remnants assert the necessity of asserting the civil state in the

new constitution.

Demonstrations in a number of Egyptian governorates against the former regime and its “remnant.”

Egypt’s first day in 32 years without the emergency law.

Channel: CH 1 Program: Egypt news

Presidential electoral campaigns are resumed.

He sentencing hearing session will be held tomorrow. A ruling will be issued the trial of Mubarak and figures of his regime. Suspects face charges of corruption and killing demonstrators.

Channel: CH 1 Program: news in 24 hours

Expatriate Egyptians start voting in the run-off round of presidential elections.

17

Radio Coverage (01/06/2012)

News Channel: Radio Masr

(25:00:00)

Today the sentencing hearing session will be held today. Mubarak and members of his regime will face the final ruling today.

The Minister of Interior draws a security plan to secure the court during Mubarak trial.

Demonstrators on the “no for the remnants Friday” stress the necessity to assert the civil

identity of the state.

News

Channel: Al-Shark Al-Awsat

The sentencing hearing session is to be held tomorrow in the trials of Mubark and figures of his regime. 23:00:00) Expatriate Egyptians start voting tomorrow in the run-off round of the presidential elections.

18

Internet Coverage (2/6/2012)

Facebook We are all Khaled Saeed

https://www.facebook.com/questions/421145561268647/

Long time no see! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=421337691249434&set=a.104265636289976.2684.104224996294040&type=1

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=421334251249778&set=a.104265636289976.2684.104224996294040&type=1

Democracy under Mubarak and Adli: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=107002852682921&set=a.153863351330204.27536.104224996294040&type=1

Nile TV: Plane carrying deposed president Hosni Mubarak takes off from the International Medical Center for the court premises.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=421362524580284&set=a.104265636289976.2684.104224996294040&type=1

Dictator leader arrives at court. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=421391814577355&set=a.104265636289976.2684.104224996294040&type=1

The court sentenced on Saturday, June 2, 2012, ousted president Hosni Mubarak to life in prison.

The court sentenced on Saturday, June 2, 2012, criminal Habib el-Adli to life in prison.

The court acquitted on Saturday, June 2, 2012, Adli’s six aides.

Chants inside the courtroom: The people want to purge the judiciary.

https://www.facebook.com/questions/421428657907004/

Egyptian TV: The prosecutor general order transfer of Mubarak to prison.

Egyptian Cabinet: Planning and International Cooperation Minister Fayza Abul-Naga: All Egyptians must

respect court rulings. The former president is the first to be tried in front of his country’s judiciary unlike other leaders, Abul-Naga said.

19

The Muslim Brotherhood:

Muslim Brotherhood Statement on Mubarak Trial Verdicts

The ruling, earlier today, Tuesday June 2, in the case of killing of demonstrators in Egypt’s January 25 revolution was shocking to the families of the martyrs and indeed to all the Egyptian people. Once again the questions are heard: who killed the martyrs, then, if the leaders and commanders of police are innocent? If the evidence before the court is not sufficient, government authorities and officials who concealed or destroyed evidence must be tried for those crimes and for refusing to provide evidence to the public prosecutor in spite of formal request for evidence and relevant information, as stated by prosecutors in court. This failure to provide available incriminating evidence is nothing but a cover-up for those serious crimes, a humiliating and horrendous waste of the pure blood of the martyrs, an obstacle thrown in the way of establishing truth and justice, assistance for murderers and criminals to evade fair punishment, and a chain that shackles the hands of judges so they cannot rule with justice. Indeed, the verdicts successively issued acquitting police officers accused of killing martyrs send a message to these officers and others to continue their oppression and aggression against the citizens to the point of murder, and that they are safe in the protection of the system. Today’s ruling means that the head of the regime and the Interior Minister only have been toppled. Meanwhile, the rest of the system is completely intact. We are beginning to doubt the possibility of recovering the enormous moneys stolen and smuggled abroad by the heads of the old regime. This ruling has indications and repercussions on the ground throughout the country and its political future. The Egyptian people must recognize the great danger which threatens their revolution, their hopes and aspirations, and lies to waste the pure blood of the martyrs and the sacrifices the whole nation made. We call all revolutionary and political players and stakeholders to an emergency meeting to agree on what actions need to be taken to face up to this serious event.

20

Freedom and Justice Party Statement on Shocking Verdict in Martyr Killers’ Case

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) affirms that it is utterly shocked and dismayed at the absurd sentences passed today, Saturday June 2, in the major case against the ousted president Hosni Mubarak, his two sons, his interior minister Habib Al-Adli and six of his top aides as well as the fugitive businessman Hussein Salem, where they stand accused of killing 850 demonstrators, profiteering and abuse of power. The FJP further affirms that the competent investigation authorities had not presented damning evidence against Mubarak, his sons and his senior officials, which ultimately led to today’s shocking ruling. This means that the trial of Mubarak and his regime for political crimes has not yet started. This requires relevant authorities and stakeholders to work on a fair re-trial of the culprits, with real and strong evidence that shall enable the court to issue just verdicts that should be a powerful deterrent and a great triumph for the Egyptian people. The FJP asserts that the judgment claiming Mubarak, his sons and businessman Hussein Salem’s innocence of charges of profiteering, and announcing Habib Al-Adli’s men innocent of the charges of killing demonstrators was shocking to the Egyptian people, who will not rest until they gain retribution for the families of the martyrs and the injured and victory for this dear homeland. Further, the FJP assures that it will endeavor to cooperate with all revolutionary and political players and stakeholders in order to work together for specific objectives: to complete the march of the revolution, exact retribution for the martyrs and the injured, and dismantle remaining elements of the old system which lurks in the dark, weighing heavily on the shoulders of the Egyptian people and even desperately attempting a comeback – to take revenge on the revolution and the revolutionaries. The FJP will strive to coordinate with all political players and revolutionary movements in order to keep this goal alive in every lawful way and by every peaceful means.

32,000 Muslim Brothers Detained Under Old Regime Emergency Law In a press statement on Friday June 1, Abdel-Moneim Abdel Maksoud, the Muslim

Brotherhood’s lawyer, affirmed that the repression suffered by the group during the reign of

deposed President Hosni Mubarak put 32,000 innocent Brothers behind bars.

“Mubarak vindictively ignored or over-ruled more than 62,000 court rulings that were in favor

of the Muslim Brotherhood and its honorable members.

21

Abdel-Maksoud pointed that these rulings were for acquittal or release of accused members of

the Brotherhood, but were not implemented.

Some ignored or aggressively evaded verdicts were against the exclusion of Brotherhood

candidates from all elections that took place in Egypt - from the People's Assembly to the Shura

Council (the two houses of Egyptian Parliament), through local councils and others.

Further, some of these totally ignored rulings were issued in favor of students who belonged to

the Muslim Brotherhood – against various government authorities unfairly expelling them from

universities, to allow their nomination as candidates in elections, to support their rights to

housing in university dormitories or residence halls, while some verdicts were issued to lift

travel bans off Brotherhood leaders.

Abdel Maksoud explained that ignoring such verdicts resulted in shutting down more than

1400 companies owned by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, in violation of the

constitutional principles that safeguarded citizens’ private property.

Naturally, that resulted in significant economic losses for the individual Brothers concerned and

the country itself, as investors preparing to put their money in projects in Egypt just turned

away, which undermined the chances of Egypt to attract foreign investment.

Moreover, the Brotherhood’s lawyer said, "In addition to the companies which were shut down,

more than 800 cars were confiscated and destroyed through criminal negligence.

A Brother’s arrest usually meant more than depriving him of his freedom; it meant the loss of

his job or business, and confiscation of his possessions including his car.

Under the Mubarak regime, more than 44,000 Muslim Brotherhood students were the regular

victims of violations of all kinds, including arrests, expulsion, exclusion from student unions

elections, brutal interrogation, and exclusion from housing in university dormitories or

residence halls – all for their affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood or for simply expressing

their views.

Furthermore, Abdel-Maksoud added that: “During the reign of Mubarak, also, 3200

Brotherhood leaders were banned from traveling, 11000 Brothers were forced to leave their

work in various jobs, and all Muslim Brothers were unlawfully prevented from performing the

compulsory military service, which was sought by the Muslim Brothers, at the time when all

22

others were evading the service.

“More seriously, thousands of Muslim Brothers were subjected to torture at the hands of

Mubarak’s goons in the now-dissolved State Security Investigation apparatus. Such torture

claimed the lives of quite a sizeable number of them, like Kamal Alsananiry, Mossad Qutb and

Akram Al-Zuhairi.

Twitter Wael Abbas:

The Guardian published important documents proving that presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi holds a dual American nationality. Did The Guardian just steal the new flash from me? http://www.alwatanvoice.com/arabic/news/2012/06/02/283459.html#.T8nMDmsZUNo.twitter

Mubarak gets life imprisonment.

Adli gets life imprisonment.

State Security Chief Hassan Abdel-Rahman acquitted!!!

Hussein Salem, Gamal and Alaa Mubarak are acquitted!!!

Mubarak vindicated of stealing!!!

Iyad elbaghdadi:

I'm going to be running around so won't be able to livetweet #MubarakTrial. Follow @SultanAlQassemi, he's awesome with these things. #Egypt

This feels like the 19th day of #Egypt's revolution.

I'd love to see Shafik try to go down to #Tahrir square right now. #Egypt

Loving this, some demonstrations have adopted Qashoush's song replacing "Bashar" with "Shafik"! #Egypt #Syria

Sabbahi, Abulfutouh went down to #Tahrir; also the #MB's Morsi.

Just keep this up for a few more days #Egypt and you just may get de-#SCAF-inated.

Please #Egypt, the counter-revolution dies today, two more days of this.

23

But I don't think they're that stupid, although they're probably on standby. #pt #Egypt #SCAF #Tahrir

Many reports of harassment of women in #Tahrir. If you're down there give them a punch in the mouth and a kick in the groin from me. #Egypt

#Tahrir should keep an eye on #Syria. Last time we had our eyes on #Egypt the butchers committed a massacre in Homs.

ElBaradei isn't in #Egypt btw, otherwise he would have been in #Tahrir too.

This photo makes me sick. Speaks volumes louder than any comments. http://bit.ly/LoNxwy #Egypt #SCAF #MubarakTrial

You know your people don't really love you when they're this upset you got a life sentence instead of the death penalty. #MubarakTrial

Free #Syria's flag in #Tahrir square: http://on.fb.me/LoOIw9 #Egypt

Gsquare86:

I swear if it is nothing less than life in prison or death penalty, then SCAF wants chaos and we will give it to them #MubarakTrial

24

Publication overview

Al-Ahram: Egyptian state-run official daily newspaper

Founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya (English: The Egyptian Events, founded 1828). It is majority owned by the Egyptian government.

Al-Akhbar: Egyptian state-owned semi-official daily newspaper

It was founded in May 1952 as a part of Akhbar El Yom.

Al-Gomhoria: Egyptian state-owned daily newspaper

An influential state-owned Egyptian Arabic language daily newspaper. It was established in 1954.

Al-Shorouk: Egyptian daily independent newspaper

Are a prominent Arabic newspaper published in Egypt [1] and several other Arabic nations It is a daily independent newspaper, covering mainly politics, militant affairs and sport.

Al-Masry al-Yom: Independent daily newspaper

On 7 June 2004, it published its first edition. The paper initially circulated primarily amongst Cairo’s intellectual elite, providing objective news coverage in the belief that good news would beat sensationalist reporting found in other Egyptian print media. After 3 years, it was challenging Al-Ahram for the status of being the national paper of record. Though

Tahrir: Daily independent newspaper

Dostor: Daily independent newspaper

Yom 7: Daily independent newspaper

25

Table of Content: Newspapers ………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………3-15

Al Ahram Newspaper Tahrir Protesters Chant against Shafiq and Morsi…………………………………………………………………………….3 Popular Campaign to Invalidate Votes in the Runoff………………………………………………………………………..4

Al masry al youm Newspaper Tahrir Divided on Isolating Remnants………………………….……………………………………………………………..5 Baradei: Egypt to Transform into Democratic System within Month………………………………………………………6

AL Gomhoria newspaper Egyptian Expatriates to Begin Voting in the Runoff……………………………………………………………………….7

Al dostour Newspaper People Respect Democracy and Refuse to Participate in Anti-Shafiq Protests …………………………………………….8

Al Tahrir Newspaper… Hamdeen Sabahi against MB…………………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Al Sherouk Newspaper.. Judge to Issue Final Verdict in Mubarak’s Trial…………………………………………………………..…………………10 Presidential Pledge Document to Ensure a Civil State……………………………………………………………..……..11

Al youm al 7 newspaper Parties Decide on Constituent Assembly Criteria Today……………………………………………….………………..12 West Overestimated Liberals in Egypt Elections – Analysis…………………………………………………………13-14

Al Akhbar Newspaper Suez Supports MB Presidential Candidate………………………………………………………………………………..15

TV Coverage…………………………………………………………..………...……...………...….………..…16- Al-Hayat 2…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………..16 Channel 1………………………………………………………………………………….…………….….………….….…16 Channel 2……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………16

Radio Coverage…………………………………………………………………..………..……….…………….…..………..17 Radio Masr …………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………17 Al-Shark Al-Awsat ………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………….17

Internet coverage……………………………………………………………………….……......……….…....……..…… 18 Facebook……………………………………………………………….…………………………………...…….……………..18 Muslim brotherhood.................................................................................................................................................................19-22 Twitter…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22-23