CAIRO: A Washington-based NGO has described the firing of Al-Dostor editor Ibrahim Eissa and cancellation of several prominent talk shows as evidence that the authorities have “ramped up attempts to silence critics in the lead up to parliamentary elections.”
“Egypt’s crackdown on freedom of expression at this particular time appears to be a blatant attempt to limit the public’s access to information before an important election,” David Kramer, executive director of Freedom House is quoted as saying in a press statement.
“The space that Egyptian media have carved out for free expression over the past few years is shrinking, depriving the country of vital independent coverage of the election season, and limiting voters’ choice in a meaningful competition.”
Eissa, a frequent critic of the regime, was fired on Sunday a month after the paper came under the ownership of Al-Wafd party head Al-Sayed Al-Badawy. In interviews Eissa alleged interference in Al-Dostor’s editorial policy by the paper’s new management.
Freedom House says that the “continued targeting of journalists” has been accompanied by “increased attacks on democracy and human rights activists in recent weeks.”
Last month a pro-Mohamed ElBaradei activist, Shady Ghazali was stopped at Cairo Airport while en route to London and taken to a state security investigations facility where he was interrogated about other ElBaradei supporters and their activities.
The NGO in addition says that Egyptian authorities cancelled a civil society conference in Cairo last week in which Freedom House was scheduled to participate.
“Last week’s cancellation of a civil society conference on freedom of assembly and the continued harassment of journalists, bloggers and activists underscore Egypt’s lack of commitment to even the appearance of democratic processes,” Kramer continued. –Daily News Egypt
