Egypt

(EOHR/IFEX) – On 19 March 1998 the Censorship on Foreign Publications Department of the Ministry of Information confiscated the 19 March issue (# 2, volume II) of “Cairo Times” which had been issued on 17 February 1998, reports EOHR. The “Cairo Times” is a bi-monthly news-magazine which is printed in English and obtained its license […]

**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 […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – Egyptian authorities have enforced the prison sentences handed down last month against Magdy Hussein, editor-in-chief of “Al-Sha’b” and Muhammad Hilel, a reporter for the paper. On 24 February 1998, both men were convicted on appeal of allegedly libeling Alaa al-Alfi, son of former Interior Minister Hassan al-Alfi. Each was given a one year […]

(EOHR/IFEX) – The head of the Publications Censorship Department at the Ministry of Mass Communication has cancelled “Al-Dostour”‘s printing and distribution license . This decision, which was implemented on 26 February 1998, coincided with the paper’s publication on 25 February of an article entitled “Terrorist groups threaten to assassinate the three most prominent Coptic businessmen […]

(EOHR/IFEX) – EOHR is deeply concerned by news of the ruling issued by the Boulaq Court of Appeals for Misdemeanors on 24 February 1998, against journalist Magdi Ahmed Hussein, editor-in-chief of opposition newspaper “Al-Shaab”, and Mohammed Hilal, journalist for the same newspaper. The journalists were accused of two misdemeanors suits of libel and slander by […]

(EOHR/IFEX) – According to reports, on Wednesday 14 January 1998, the artistic production police confiscated two books by lawyer Khalil Abdel-Kareem. The books in question are “The Yathrib Society” (Yathrib is the old name of the town of Medina, in Saudi Arabia) and “The Rababa songs on the Companions of Prophet Mohammed.” The two books […]

(RSF/IFEX) – The Sunday (27 December) edition of the London-based Arabic-language newspaper “Al-Hayat” was seized, apparently because it contained an interview with a leading Islamic extremist. Officials at the paper, who insisted on anonymity, confirmed that the Cairo edition had been confiscated but would not say why. In the edition, “Al-Hayat” published a statement from […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The Egyptian court of first instance, on 10 September 1997, decided to ban the publication of three issues of the bi-weekly newspaper “Al-Sha’b” as a result of its coverage of a pending libel suit initiated by Interior Minister Hassanal-Alfi against “Al-Sha’b” editor-in-chief Magdi Hussein and four journalists from the newspaper. The move followed […]

(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 […]

(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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

**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 […]