By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Egypt’s IDA gears up to provide its services for investors online
    Egypt’s IDA gears up to provide its services for investors online 
    March 29, 2023
    Egypt. Germany discuss promotion of cooperation in communications, digital transformation
    Egypt, Germany discuss promotion of cooperation in communications, digital transformation
    March 29, 2023
    Egypt-Australia trade exchange reaches AUD 1bn in FY2022: Ambassador
    Egypt-Australia trade exchange reaches AUD 1bn in FY2022: Ambassador
    March 29, 2023
    Volatile trading on EGX amid anticipation of interest rate movement
    Volatile trading on EGX amid anticipation of interest rate movement
    March 29, 2023
    Mohamed Nasr El-Din appointed as new CEO of Telecom Egypt
    Mohamed Nasr El-Din appointed as new CEO of Telecom Egypt
    March 29, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement
    Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement
    March 29, 2023
    Health Minister, UNODC discuss bilateral cooperation in combating drugs, corruption
    Health Minister, UNODC discuss bilateral cooperation in combating drugs, corruption
    March 29, 2023
    UAE President appoints Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
    UAE President appoints Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
    March 29, 2023
    Al-Sisi directs development of imams to keep abreast of contemporary issues
    Al-Sisi directs development of imams to keep abreast of contemporary issues
    March 29, 2023
    Egyptian Health Minister directs accelerating completion of New Heart Institute in El-Shorouk 
    Egyptian Health Minister directs accelerating completion of New Heart Institute in El-Shorouk 
    March 29, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Developers have to offer innovative products, state should provide more facilities to stimulate industry: Kareem Mamoun
    Developers have to offer innovative products, state should provide more facilities to stimulate industry: Kareem Mamoun
    March 27, 2023
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    March 15, 2023
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    March 12, 2023
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    February 15, 2023
    British International Investment invests $4.5bn in 700 businesses across Africa: Sherine Shohdy
    February 15, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Journalists to rally at Press Syndicate over imprisonment
Share
Notification
Latest News
Egypt’s IDA gears up to provide its services for investors online
Egypt’s IDA gears up to provide its services for investors online 
Business
Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement
Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement
Politics World
Egypt. Germany discuss promotion of cooperation in communications, digital transformation
Egypt, Germany discuss promotion of cooperation in communications, digital transformation
Business
Egypt-Australia trade exchange reaches AUD 1bn in FY2022: Ambassador
Egypt-Australia trade exchange reaches AUD 1bn in FY2022: Ambassador
Business
Volatile trading on EGX amid anticipation of interest rate movement
Volatile trading on EGX amid anticipation of interest rate movement
Business
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 > Egypt > Journalists to rally at Press Syndicate over imprisonment
EgyptPolitics

Journalists to rally at Press Syndicate over imprisonment

Amira El-Fekki
Last updated: 2015/12/08 at 1:13 PM
By Amira El-Fekki 6 Min Read
Share
Journalists rallied on 10 June 2015 for the occasion Egypt's Press Day to demand the end of journalists' detention amid other legal rights. (DNE photo)
SHARE

Journalists are holding a rally in white clothes in solidarity with their detained colleagues at the Press Syndicate on Wednesday to protest once more the arbitrary regime practices and violence they are subject to.

This was announced earlier this week, alongside a campaign to support photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid Shawkan, who has faced one of the longest detentions in remand. He has exceeded 850 days behind bars, awaiting a trial that was finally set by court for 14 December.

Shawkan’s situation has stirred concern among the press community and was repeatedly denounced by human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) among others.

However, his case remains one example of many of the challenges journalists face under the severe crackdown. The arrest of journalist and researcher Ismail Alexandarani last week also sparked international controversy.

The Press Syndicate has been following up on journalists’ detention cases through its committee of rights and freedoms, headed by prominent journalist Khaled El-Balshy who reported at least 18 ongoing cases of infringement against journalists, especially those already in detention.

In light of this, he announced a campaign called “We will treat and release them, journalism is not a crime”. “Journalists’ treatment in places of detention has become intolerable; several of them are denied medication, despite critical health conditions,” El-Balshy said.

He listed at least seven journalists, including Shawkan, whose health conditions are deteriorating inside prisons and yet have been denied winter clothes, mattresses, and most importantly medication.

Like Shawkan, journalist Youssef Shaaban, who is detained alongside human rights lawyer Mahienour El-Massry in Alexandria prisons, suffers from hepatitis-C and despite being transferred to the hospital several times, he received no treatment, according to El-Balshy.

“We have documented that, following our requests to authorities, some journalists are taken to hospitals but not necessarily treated. Others are denied urgent medical intervention and medication and some were discovered to have new diseases,” he said.

An example he gave was that of journalist Mohamed El-Battawy, who according to family complaints, has caught some skin disease inside jail. El-Battawy was taken from his house by security forces on 17 June and his whereabouts were unknown for five days until the syndicate’s requests were eventually answered and he was revealed to be Tora Prison in Cairo.

Journalist Magdy Hussein is diabetic and has blood pressure issues and Hany Salah El-Din had a serious eye condition. “According to hospital reports, he needs surgery,” El-Balshy said, noting that he has filed reports and complaints to different state institutions to demand prison visits by syndicate members.

Other journalists in detention include Hassan El-Kabbani, Mahmoud Mostafa, Mohamed Ali Hassan, Mohamed Salah, and others. Journalists are often arrested while on the job or taken from their houses “usually with no evidence for their detention,” according to El-Balshy.

He also spoke of Hisham Gaafar, who was investigated in October. Gaafar is the director of Mada media organisation and a Press Syndicate member and is accused of belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Balshy revealed that in some cases it is legally impossible to demand their release, so the presidency has been addressed regarding pardoning some journalists on grounds of health conditions.

“But for Rabaa operations’ room journalists, we have now demanded their release because they have spent the legal term in remand and their verdicts were cancelled by the cassation court to face re-trial,” he said.

Common charges filed against journalists include belonging to banned organisations such as the Muslim Brotherhood and publishing false content as is the case for Alexandrani and Hossam Bahgat, whose detention and questioning also raised debates on press freedom. Bahgat was summoned in November by military intelligence over an article he published on the trial of military officers for an attempted “coup”.

Others, such as Shawkan, Abdullah Al-Fakharany, and a dozen other journalists in the Rabaa operations room trial were accused of having engaged in “violence against the state”.

On 3 December, the Egyptian Cassation Court accepted appeals on verdicts issued against 14 journalists and media workers; 13 of received life sentences and one received the death penalty for the Rabaa operations room trial.

The 13 journalists include Rassd board members Abdullah Al-Fakharany and Samy Mostafa, presenter on the Islamist Amgad channel Mohamed Al-Adly, and head of Ahrar 25 channel Mosaad Al-Barbary. Al-Fakharany was arrested on 25 August 2013, 11 days following the dispersals, and has since then been held in Istikbal Tora Prison.

 

You Might Also Like

Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement

Health Minister, UNODC discuss bilateral cooperation in combating drugs, corruption

UAE President appoints Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

Al-Sisi directs development of imams to keep abreast of contemporary issues

Egyptian Health Minister directs accelerating completion of New Heart Institute in El-Shorouk 

TAGGED: journalism, Press freedom, press syndicate, protest, Shawkan
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
By Amira El-Fekki
Journalist in DNE's politics section, focusing on human rights, laws and legislations, press freedom, among other local political issues.
Previous Article Saudi Arabia agrees to retry Sri Lankan maid sentenced to death by stoning
Next Article Government to propose major ventures at Egypt Mega Projects conference
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Egypt’s IDA gears up to provide its services for investors online
Egypt’s IDA gears up to provide its services for investors online 
Business
Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement
Iranian FM says Tehran, Moscow taking final step toward signing long-term cooperation agreement
Politics World
Egypt. Germany discuss promotion of cooperation in communications, digital transformation
Egypt, Germany discuss promotion of cooperation in communications, digital transformation
Business
Egypt-Australia trade exchange reaches AUD 1bn in FY2022: Ambassador
Egypt-Australia trade exchange reaches AUD 1bn in FY2022: Ambassador
Business
//
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?