By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Lebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertainty
    Lebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertaintygoldLebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertainty
    May 27, 2023
    Iranian president warns of Western bids to cause division among OPEC members
    Iranian president warns of Western bids to cause division among OPEC members
    May 27, 2023
    CBE cooperates with international institutions to digitize supply chains: Assistant sub-governor
    CBE cooperates with international institutions to digitize supply chains: Assistant sub-governor
    May 27, 2023
    Egypt has integrated, full-disclosure programme to attract private sector investment: CBE governor
    Egypt has integrated, full-disclosure programme to attract private sector investment: CBE governor
    May 27, 2023
    EFG Hermes Holding rebrands to EFG Holding
    EFG Hermes Holding rebrands to EFG Holding
    May 27, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Armed clashes occur between Iranian, Afghan border guards
    Armed clashes occur between Iranian, Afghan border guards
    May 27, 2023
    UN warns Yemen's food insecurity remains serious threat
    UN warns Yemen’s food insecurity remains serious threat
    May 27, 2023
    Uganda dispatches team to investigate deadly attack on its peacekeepers in Somalia
    Uganda dispatches team to investigate deadly attack on its peacekeepers in Somalia
    May 27, 2023
    Africa Day Egypt celebrates 60th anniversary African unity
    Africa Day: Egypt celebrates 60th anniversary of African unity
    May 25, 2023
    Opinion| Behind the scenes of the US-China conflict over Taiwan’s chips
    Opinion| Behind the scenes of the US-China conflict over Taiwan’s chips
    May 25, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    May 25, 2023
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    May 8, 2023
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    April 29, 2023
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    April 18, 2023
    "Al-Asly" series saw my first leading role in TV drama: Reham Abdel Ghafour
    “Al-Asly” series saw my first leading role in TV drama: Reham Abdel Ghafour
    April 16, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Fear, Oppression and the Egyptian Pen
Share
Notification
Latest News
Lebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertainty
Lebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertaintygoldLebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertainty
Business
Armed clashes occur between Iranian, Afghan border guards
Armed clashes occur between Iranian, Afghan border guards
Politics Region
Iranian president warns of Western bids to cause division among OPEC members
Iranian president warns of Western bids to cause division among OPEC members
Business
UN warns Yemen's food insecurity remains serious threat
UN warns Yemen’s food insecurity remains serious threat
Politics Region
Uganda dispatches team to investigate deadly attack on its peacekeepers in Somalia
Uganda dispatches team to investigate deadly attack on its peacekeepers in Somalia
Politics Region
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Opinion > Fear, Oppression and the Egyptian Pen
Opinion

Fear, Oppression and the Egyptian Pen

Daily News Egypt
Last updated: 2015/05/06 at 1:38 PM
By Daily News Egypt 11 Min Read
Share
Amr Khalifa
SHARE
Amr Khalifa
Amr Khalifa

By Amr Khalifa

To be an Egyptian journalist on World Press Freedom Day (3 May), one must have a healthy sense of ironic juxtaposition. In Egypt, as most journalists and readers know, the words freedom and journalism, particularly under the harsh light of the Al-Sisi regime, in the same sentence elicit a loud and bitter laugh. Freedom of speech has never, in many years in this profession covering Egypt, been a mainstay. But in the past 20 months, while Al-Sisi ruled initially de jure and now de facto, holding a pen has become associated only with fear and oppression-especially if you write in the political/economic realm. Indeed, as respected Egyptian journalist Yosri Fouda said, last week: “The current scene in Egypt is among the worst in journalism history.” I disagree – in 25 years of practicing, reading, watching and listening to Egyptian media this is, without equivocation, the darkest hour for Egyptian media. But the regime neglects an important detail, just as it plies the journalistic drink with fear it greatly fears the very pen it attacks.

There is little that is haphazard about the Al-Sisi stranglehold on all media streams. The regime comprehends reality: a profoundly professional journalist can be a political metre, measuring stick, indeed, a representative of the people in the parliament of public opinion. Immediately following the coup, the regime undertook a verbal battle, largely with western press, to shape public discourse about what had transpired: the naturally ultra nationalist stance of the regime pitched 3 July 2013 as a people’s revolution in contrast to reporting by many western outlets, and of course Islamist media, calling it a coup.

By the time this process unfolded, the military and the deep state had plenty of practice shaping discourse, and manipulating the media since days after a failed revolution unfolded in 2011. Initially, it was crucial for those wielding guns to convince, and in many cases control outright, how the press covered revolutionaries and the revolution. The difficult trick would be convincing the general population that the revolutionaries perceived as heroes by most in the days following the revolt, had become a danger to stability of Egyptian society. There is a popular Egyptian saying, loosely translated, that goes ‘’repetition to the ear is far more effective than magic’’. Employing this methodology, through radio, TV, print and electronic media SCAF, Mubarakists and Islamists conspired to colour revolutionaries as foreign agents, traitors, non-representative of main stream Egyptians. By the time Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi came to power the counter revolution and its associated fear and repression were well under way.

Such is the state of things that, late last year, 17 editors-in-chief pledged a ‘statement of allegiance’ to the Al-Sisi regime and the army, for all intents and purposes, promising to politically self-edit. While a very small minority rose up to counter this obvious attempt to create a ‘one voiced media’, this has not stopped the regime from creating a, largely vacuous monolith that mushrooms its few victories while submerging its many frailties in a river of editorial silence. To see Egypt through the rose coloured glasses of mainstream Egyptian media is to see it through Al-Sisi’s infamous sunglasses.

Seemingly illogical projects requiring unrealistic sums of hard currency, The New Cairo project for example, requiring over $45bn, were welcomed with open arms by the vast majority of Egyptian media swimming in a sea of ultra-nationalistic molasses. Similarly, the Suez Canal mega project, revered by the government and its supporters as a big step in the right direction. But these supporters, and the vast majority of Egyptian media, make virtually no mention of ‘’poor planning and expensive mistakes at the design stage’’. To understand why things continue to unfold this way you need to understand the power of fear.

Fear is a two way street: government fear the pen for it understands its impact on public opinion and journalists, in turn, fear imprisonment, torture and death; all of which have occurred under Al-Sisi leadership and systematically so. You would be hard pressed to find anyone not aware of the injustice faced by Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy, and Baher Mohamed after their arrest by the State Security and the laughably politicised judicial proceedings that resulted in their incarceration for more than a year. But you probably have not heard anywhere near as much about the Al-Dostour journalist who wrote the following headline recently: “The Collapse of Egyptian police morally and security wise as never before.” The headline, in bold lettering with the word danger repeated three times in red, resulted in the arrest of the journalist responsible and a police raid on the paper’s headquarters; a raid which saw the physical assault of several journalists as well.

This news report was not a unique incident as it has become clear that something of a power struggle between the military and ministry of interior has developed. While nothing can be said with certitude about who is putting pressure on whom and to what end this much is clear: rampant repression utilised by all security forces, army, police or central security forces alike, is suddenly in Egyptian media’s view finder. By no means is this a sudden spurt of freedom of speech but rather, Egyptian press has become a weapon in the hands of the mega powerful lurking behind well protected doors. Shortly after the Al-Dostour piece similar discourse found its way into the highly pro government Al-Ahram: He who didn’t perish by torture died because of overcrowding. The article told of rooms in police precincts meant to hold 13 prisoners holding 380 resulting in the death of two prisoners within three days. The first day of May brought an equally surprising news item in El-Watan, a newspaper notorious for strong links to the security apparatus: 10 torture related deaths and 86 confirmed cases of torture in April say El Nadeem Center, a respected human rights group. But such pointed critique of the notorious State Security comes at a premium.

When Al-Masry Al-Youm, another pro -government Egyptian paper, spoke up about similar police abuses the five journalists behind the extensive report were turned over for investigation. Though news reports indicate the investigation was terminated in its infancy the threat of what may happen to your pen or neck should you report rampant abuses, torture or corruption is crystal clear. The plank of truth is potentially a plank to nowhere but prison or an early grave for many an Egyptian journalist.

Citizen journalists are, also, in severe peril in Egypt. Politicians, power brokers and the strong man himself are aware of how instrumental the Internet was in the revolutionaries’ fight against the regime in 2011. And go after those brave souls as the regime. Many Islamist and liberal Facebook page administrators have already been arrested and it rarely raises an eyebrow when filed under the ‘fight against terrorism’. Moreover, the past several months have seen an alarming rise in unconstitutional and illegal searches of mobile phones at police checkpoints within Cairo and without. The invasive and highly politicised searches are about to become formalised, ‘legal’ repression, say recent news reports as the new minister of interior institutes a ‘Widening of the circle of political suspicion’. Indeed, some in legal and human rights circles feel this step, allowing police to accost anyone at checkpoints for dissident political views, can lead to civil strife. ‘’Anyone can stop anyone in the street claiming to be with police investigations,’’ said Malek Adly, a respected human rights lawyer.

To complete the choke hold on citizen journalism the government is also introducing a law which will make illegal much of Internet radio, and the broadcast by citizens of mobile streaming such as Ustream and Bambuser, as confirmed by respected citizen journalist Zeinobia. The move is both draconian and Machiavellian as those very broadcasts uncovered many abuses and crimes by Supreme Command Armed Forces (SCAF) during the many clashes which followed the 25 January Revolution. One could say Al-Sisi’s fist never learned subtlety and seems to forget the obvious: countries can never be run through unitary military vision.

For those expecting better days ahead for journalism in Egypt reality says otherwise. With a struggle for power, surging insurgency, a summer approaching that will uncover glaring power shortages, no political solution in sight for the military Islamist dichotomy, turbulence will likely fuel an even harsher brand of repression.

To bravely hold a pen that sees all and writes all you risk all in Egypt these days. Just hours ago, in fact, six journalists for Al-Ahram were injured, three critically, when their bus was shot at by unknown assailants on Cairo’s outskirts.

For both government and press, fear has become repression’s companion.

Amr Khalifa is freelance journalist and commentator recently published by Ahram Online, Mada Masr, Muftah, the Tahrir Institute, and Arab Media Society. You can follow him on Twitter @cairo67unedited

You Might Also Like

Opinion| Behind the scenes of the US-China conflict over Taiwan’s chips

Opinion| G7 Summit mobilizes Asian countries against China, while Beijing strengthens its position in Central Asia

Opinion| Biden Admin condemns Putin while helping Netanyahu establish apartheid state in Palestine

Opinion| After trapping Russia into Ukraine war, the US seeks to fuel conflict between China and India

Opinion| Syria returns to the Arab embrace despite several difficulties

TAGGED: Amr Khalifa, fear, journalist, oppression, World Press Freedom day
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article No orders from above: Journalists
Next Article Government approves American technology to convert butane to fuel for industries: Arab Energy
1 Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Lebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertainty
Lebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertaintygoldLebanese race to gold amid local, global economic uncertainty
Business
Armed clashes occur between Iranian, Afghan border guards
Armed clashes occur between Iranian, Afghan border guards
Politics Region
Iranian president warns of Western bids to cause division among OPEC members
Iranian president warns of Western bids to cause division among OPEC members
Business
UN warns Yemen's food insecurity remains serious threat
UN warns Yemen’s food insecurity remains serious threat
Politics Region
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?