**Updates IFEX alert of 2 March 1998** (RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 21 March 1998, Egyptian police apprehended the journalist Gamal Fahmy Hussein (spelled Gamal Fahmi in alert of 2 March 1998). Fahmy was taken in front of “the home of one of his close relatives despite the fact that he had indicated to […]
**Updates IFEX alert of 2 March 1998**
(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 21 March 1998,
Egyptian police apprehended the journalist Gamal Fahmy Hussein (spelled Gamal
Fahmi in alert of 2 March 1998). Fahmy was taken in front of “the home of
one of his close relatives despite the fact that he had indicated to the
authorities that he would report to them on Monday,” stated a family member
to the Agence France Presse (AFP) under cover of anonymity.
Fahmy is the former Head of Editorial Staff at
the independent weekly, “Al Dosour” (spelled “Al
Dostour” in alert of 2 March 1998), which was recently banned by the
authorities for over a month. Fahmy was condemned by the Court of Appeal of
Cairo to six months of hard labour at the request of M. Sarouat Abaza,
Secretary
of Consulting Council. He was also fined 501 livres (US$150) for harm and
damages caused to the plaintiff in the case.
Fahmy was first charged in March of 1996 for an
article published in the pro-Nasserite weekly “Al-Arab” In that
article, Fahmy took issue with the criticisms leveled against former
President
Gamal Abdel Nasser by M. Abaza, a writer of a weekly column for the daily
government paper, “Al-Ahrm”.
Fahmy is the third journalist who has been
imprisoned since the beginning of the year. Editor-in-chief M.M. Magdi
Ahmad Husin and journalist Mohammed Hilal of the Islamic bi-weekly
“Al-Chaab” have been imprisoned since 9 March 1998. They were
sentenced in February 1998 for “defaming” the son of a former Minister
of Interior, Hassan al-Alfi.
RSF denounces prison sentences for press crimes.
The organization is extremely concerned about these three imprisonments which
signal a deterioration of press freedom in Egypt. Less than a month ago, the
Egyptian government declared their tolerance for a “reasonable freedom of
the press” and criticized the “corruption which risks destroying the
nation.” Today, RSF states that these imprisonments contradict the image of
Egypt projected by the government.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
take appropriate steps to lift the sentences against Gamal Fahmy Hussein,
Magdi
Hussein and Mohammed Hilal and to ensure their release.
Appeals To
Mr Hosni Mubarak
President of the Republic
Abedine Palace
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +202 355 57 00
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
