ANHRI expresses deep dissatisfaction towards the sentencing of editor Yasser Barakat, to six months in prison.
(ANHRI/IFEX) – The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) expresses deep dissatisfaction over the increasing frequency of convictions for press misdemeanors. The latest occurrence involved the criminal court sentencing of Yasser Barakat, editor-in-chief of the “Al-Mogaz” newspaper, to six months in prison and a fine of LE 20000 (approx. US$3500) in an insult and libel case filed by MP Mostafa Al-Bakry.
Yasser published an article entitled “Bakry, Syrian intelligence and Sawiris” on 27 November 2007, which was considered insulting by Al-Bakry. As such, Al-Bakry filed case #2453/2008 with the criminal court calling for the publication of the article to be considered a press misdemeanor.
This is the third successful case for Al-Bakry against Barakat out of a total of 13 cases between them in the courts.
