(EOHR/IFEX) – Three Egyptian journalists who were found guilty of defaming Housing Minister Ibrahim Suleiman in April 2005 will challenge the verdict in a retrial scheduled for 23 August. Suleiman had lodged a complaint with the prosecutor general accusing the three journalists of defamation following a piece published in the 73rd edition of “Al Masry […]
(EOHR/IFEX) – Three Egyptian journalists who were found guilty of defaming Housing Minister Ibrahim Suleiman in April 2005 will challenge the verdict in a retrial scheduled for 23 August.
Suleiman had lodged a complaint with the prosecutor general accusing the three journalists of defamation following a piece published in the 73rd edition of “Al Masry Al Youm” newspaper, issued on 18 August 2004 under the title “Ibrahim Suleiman’s office searched”. The Public Prosecutor’s Office summoned the three journalists for questioning on 21 September.
“Al Masry Al Youm” journalists Abdel Nasser Ali, Alaa Yehya Mohamed (also known as Alaa el Ghatrify) and Youssef Taha Abdel Rahman (also known as Youssef el Aoumy) were sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (approx. US$1,730) after the Cairo Criminal Court found them guilty, in absentia, of defaming Housing Minister Suleiman.
Under Egyptian law, defendants found guilty in absentia are either arrested or proceed to the Sentence Enforcement Division to oppose the verdict and petition for a retrial. Opposing an in absentia verdict cancels it and initiates a retrial process. Where defendants fail to attend the retrial the original verdict comes back into force.
The prosecutor general recommended that the three journalists oppose the verdict following protests from the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate.
Campaigns and protests launched after the initial verdict, together with a prominent retraction issued the day after the article was published, indicate the men are likely to be found innocent. However, they face prison sentences if found guilty.
