Novelist Ala’a Hamed freed pending ruling from the Court of Cassation
(WiPC/IFEX) – On 3 August 1997, Ala’a Hamed (also reported as Allaa Hamed and Alaa Hamed) and his lawyers appeared before the Cairo Appeal Court to petition judges to suspend Hamed’s one-year prison sentence until the Court of Cassation issues a final ruling on the case. **Updates IFEX alerts dated 15 August, 25 July, 25 […]
Heavy sentences for Saudi daily journalists
(RSF/IFEX) – On 15 September 1997, RSF expressed concern at the very heavy penalties imposed on five members of the editorial staff of the Saudi daily “Asharq Al-Awsat”. According to RSF’s information, on 14 September, the Cairo criminal court sentenced owners Hisham and Mohammad Ali Hafez, and editor-in-chief Osmane al-Amir (three Saudis), along with two […]
Latest edition of “Middle East Times” banned
On 23 October 1996, the 20-26 October 1996 edition of the English-language newspaper the “Middle East Times” was banned from distribution by the censorship office. Every week before the newspaper is printed, the editorial staff has to submit all the articles to officials of the Information Ministry. The 20-26 October edition contained a report giving […]
Weekly “Middle East Times” banned from publishing article
On 12 September 1996, officials from the Ministry of Information’s Foreign Press and Publications Bureau informed the English-language weekly “Middle East Times” that it would not be permitted to publish a featured interview with Saudi dissident Mohammed Maasari in its 15-21 September 1996 issue. The newspaper was subsequently forced to replace the interview with another […]
Distribution ban on weekly
The Egyptian Information Ministry confiscated all 10,000 copies of the August issue of “Al Tadamun”, an Arabic-language monthly published in Cyprus. Editor Mohamed Abu Liwaya said the move came after “Al Tadamun” published a front-page editorial headlined “A chronic mental illness”, which suggested most Arab heads of state should be made to undergo mental health […]
Writer Dr Nasr Hamed Abu-Zeid branded an apostate
On 5 August 1996, Egyptian academic and writer Dr Nasr Hamed Abu-Zeid was ordered to divorce from his wife after being branded an apostate by the Court of Cassation. **Updates IFEX alert dated 20 June 1995** The court ruled that Dr Abu-Zeid was an apostate, confirming a decision by the Cairo Court of Appeals in […]
Authorities refuse to grant visas to three Sudanese journalists
Three Sudanese journalists have been refused visas to attend the Arab Summit due to be held in Cairo on 22 and 23 June 1996. Mohieddin Tantawi, Mohieddin Titawi and Fath Al-Rahman Al-Nahas, editors respectively of the dailies “Al-Rai Al-Akbar”, “Al-Inkaz Al-Watani” and “Al-Sudan Al-Hadith”, had applied for visas from the Egyptian embassy in Khartoum, the […]
Upper house of Egyptian parliament passes new press bill
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 24 May 1996, 16 June and 29 May 1995** On 9 June 1996, the Shura Council (the upper house of the Egyptian parliament) passed a new press bill which failed to adopt any of the major revisions demanded by Egyptian journalists. The foremost of those demands was the repeal of the […]
Editor Magdi Hussein sentenced on appeal to one year in prison
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 24, 9 May, 31, 30 January 1996, and 25 October 1995** On 28 May 1996, Magdi Hussein, editor-in-chief of “Al-Shaab”, the bi-weekly organ of the Islamist Labor Party, was sentenced on appeal by the Cairo Appeal Court to one year in prison, fined E15,000 (US$ 4,500) and ordered to pay E501 […]
Editor Magdi Hussein released; CPJ appeals for postponement of appeal hearing until Law 93 revised
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 9 May, 31, 30 January 1996, and 25 October 1995** On 10 May 1996, Magdi Hussein, editor-in-chief of “Al-Shaab”, the bi-weekly organ of the pro-Islamist Labor Party, was released. Hussein is appealing a conviction under a controversial press law currently being revised by parliament. CPJ is asking that Hussein’s appeal and […]
Continued concern at press bill due to come before parliament on 25 May
**For background to cases, see IFEX alerts dated 24, 9 May, 31, 30 and 4 January 1996 and others; for background to press law, see IFEX alerts of 16 June and 29 May 1995** On 28 May 1995 the Egyptian parliament approved Law 93 under which journalists could be given prison sentences. A press bill […]
Opposition editor Magdi Hussein arrested for refusing to pay fine
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 31, 30 January 1996 and 25 October 1995** On 7 May 1996, a Cairo court ordered Magdi Hussein, editor-in- chief of “Al-Shaab”, a bi-weekly organ of the pro-Islamist Labor Party, to pay a fine for a libel conviction, or else face imprisonment. The following day, police arrested Hussein because of his […]
Distribution of weekly “Al-Destour” banned
The 24 April 1996 issue of the independent weekly “Al-Destour” has been banned from distribution by the Office of Censorship. According to the editor, Ibrahim Eissa, no explanation was given for the ban; however, it would appear that a report mentioning “conflict” between police chiefs in the Interior Ministry was behind the move. One official […]
Two journalists sentenced to six months in prison
On 4 April 1996, Mahmoud el-Maraghy and Gamal Fahmi, editor-in- chief and columnist respectively for the opposition weekly “Al- Arabi”, were each sentenced to six months in prison for “slandering a member of parliament.” They were also each fined US$ 200. They have appealed the decision and are currently free. The two journalists had published […]
“Al-Wafd” editor-in-chief attacked
On the evening of 1 August 1995, Gamal Badawi, editor-in-chief of the opposition daily “Al-Wafd”, left a conference at the Journalists’ Syndicate in downtown Cairo. He was heading for his home in Heliopolis, when two vehicles forced his car off the road. Ten unidentified individuals then emerged from the vehicles, pulled Badawi out of his […]
PEN protests enforced separation of professor from his wife
On 19 June 1995, International PEN wrote to the Egyptian President to express its shock and profound concern at the case of Dr Nasr Hamad Abu Zaid and its implications for the right to freedom of opinion and ideas in Egypt. On 14 June l995, an Egyptian court ruled that Dr Nasr Abu Zaid, a […]