Judge Ismail Abu Kerisha of the Misdemeanor Appeal Court in Al-Warak sentenced Ibrahim Eissa, editor-in-chief of the independent weekly Al-Dostour Newspaper and Sahar Zaki Journalist in the same paper to a fine of 22,500 Egyptian Pounds. Eissa and Zaki were accused of insulting Egyptian President and Disturbing Public Order in case number. 22378/2006.
The case began with a news story titled “A Citizen from Waraq El-Arab Calls for Putting Mubarak and his Family on Trial and Committing them to Return 500 Billion Pounds worth the Public Sector and Foreign Aids” published in Issue no. 55 of Al-Dostour newspaper on 5 April 2006. Journalist Sahar Zaki only detailed the incident in her news story.
Eissa and Al-Dostour newspaper are working hard to save press freedom and freedom of expression from the enemies of press freedom in Egypt.
“We welcome the decision of the court to drop the one year imprisonment sentenced by the Misdemeanor Court in Waraq on 26 June 2006. However, the fine is also a penalty which comes within the context of the state policy to repress freedom of expression as was the case with blogger Abdul Kareem Sulieman and Al-Jazeera reporter Huweida Taha. That is in addition to the defamation campaigns against Hala Sarhan, Nawal El-Saadawy, and others.” HRinfo Lawyer Rawda Ahmed said.
“All of is comes in contradiction with the regime’s claims of democratic reform; claims that the regime has not stopped to reiterate”, she added.
The undersigned organizations call upon organizations defending freedom of expression to intensify their campaign to amend laws restricting freedom of expression.
Signatories:
• The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
• Al-Nadim Center for Psychological Treatment and Rehabilitation for The Victims of Violence
• Egyptian Association against Torture
• Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
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