(EOHR/IFEX) – The following is a 7 March 2006 EOHR press release: A new episode of violation of freedom of opinion and expression One year in prison for journalist Amira Malash In light of the state’s unjustified ignorance of the President’s promise to annul prison sentences in publication cases, on Tuesday 7 March 2006 the […]
(EOHR/IFEX) – The following is a 7 March 2006 EOHR press release:
A new episode of violation of freedom of opinion and expression
One year in prison for journalist Amira Malash
In light of the state’s unjustified ignorance of the President’s promise to annul prison sentences in publication cases, on Tuesday 7 March 2006 the Giza Criminal Court issued a one-year imprisonment verdict against Amira Malash, a journalist for Al-Fagr newspaper, in case 1381 [2006]. In his testimony to the representative of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), Nashaat Agha, the journalist’s lawyer, declared that the session in court had not exceeded seven minutes when the verdict was issued.
The Public Prosecution received an appeal signed by Judge Attia Mohamed Awad accusing journalist Amira Malash of defaming and slandering him by publishing an article in Al-Fagr newspaper, on 9 July 2005, entitled, “Alexandria judge bribed, a fugitive escapes with ready-made clothing and 150000 LE”. EOHR’s fact-finding mission found that Malash was summoned before the Public Prosecution for investigation on 31 December 2005, where she confirmed that the information in the article was based on the State Security Prosecution’s investigation in Case 696 [2005].
Despite EOHR’s full respect for the Egyptian judiciary’s verdicts, it calls for complete respect for freedom of opinion and expression, and denounces state laws that violate the right to freedom of opinion and expression and stipulate prison sentences in publication cases. EOHR also denounces the repeated issuing of prison sentences to journalists, and ongoing investigations in publication cases, which violate press freedom in Egypt. Moreover, EOHR calls upon President Mubarak to fulfil his pledge to annul prison sentences in publication cases and to encourage the government to present a draft law to the People’s Assembly in order to amend the law which stipulates prison sentences against journalists for defamation and slander.
Finally, EOHR calls upon the government to respect journalists and press freedom, as guaranteed by the Constitution and international covenants on freedom of opinion and expression. In order to punish the journalist in question, the government could impose fines; the defamed person also has the right to reply in the same newspaper and can seek compensation before the civil court, if a journalist has exceeded his legal limits.
