Egypt / Middle East & North Africa

  

CPJ rejects Egyptian ruling against civil society

New York, June 4, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is dismayed by today’s conviction of 43 individuals affiliated with international nonprofit organizations on charges of working illegally in Egypt. CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour was sentenced to two years in prison based on the work he did with Freedom House,…

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Authorities pursue legal action against Egyptian journalists

The Al-Dokki Criminal Court on May 28, 2013, sentenced Islam Afifi, former editor-in-chief of Al-Dustour newspaper, to a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (US$1,431) after convicting him of libel against Essam al-Eryan, a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood. Al-Eryan filed a complaint against Afifi after the journalist published a report in June 2012 that alleged…

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In Egypt, journalists face prosecution, attacks, detention

The editor-in-chief of the daily Al-Watan, Magdy el-Galad, and a reporter for the paper, Ahmed el-Khatib, were referred to a criminal court on May 8, 2013, for publishing a “false report that could disturb public peace,” according to news reports.

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Muslim Brotherhood members shout slogans during a protest in front of the Supreme Judicial Council in Cairo on Friday. Arabic on the T-shirt reads, 'clean judiciary.' (AP/Amr Nabil)

More journalists attacked in Cairo, Alexandria clashes

New York, April 23, 2013–At least 13 journalists were attacked amid clashes between supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and the opposition Friday in Cairo and Alexandria. Demonstrators supporting the Muslim Brotherhood were calling for reform of Egypt’s judiciary, while opposition groups were protesting the Brotherhood and the government it leads. 

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Journalists in Egypt attacked amid street violence

At least four local Egyptian journalists were physically attacked during a weekend of street violence that began April 5, 2013, according to news reports. The reports said an international journalist was also briefly detained.

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CPJ cautiously welcomes Morsi’s step to drop complaints

New York, April 10, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s announcement that he will withdraw legal complaints against journalists who “spread wrong information.” The announcement was posted on the presidency’s Twitter account and confirmed by Presidential spokesman Ehab Fahmy.

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CPJ alarmed by investigation of its consultant in Egypt

New York, April 2, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by news reports that its Middle East consultant, Shaimaa Abulkhair, would be investigated by national security prosecutors in Egypt for comments she made about the widely criticized criminal case against satirist Bassem Youssef.

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Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah is surrounded by supporters as he leaves the prosecutor general's office in Cairo on Tuesday. (AP/Mostafa Darwish)

In Egypt, crackdown against media reaches new lows

The government of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi continues to escalate its offensive against journalists. Details of the most recent case, in which an arrest warrant was issued for blogger Alaa Abdelfattah for inciting “aggression” against members of the Muslim Brotherhood, show how low the government is willing to go in order to silence its critics.

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Protests outside the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters last week have led to escalating threats against the press and a siege on Sunday of Cairo's Media Production City. (AFP/Khaled Desouki)

CPJ condemns siege at Cairo’s Media Production City

New York, March 25, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the violent siege on Sunday of the Media Production City, a complex housing numerous private news outlets in Cairo, an episode that followed a series of inflammatory anti-press comments by President Mohamed Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Journalists attacked in Egypt over the weekend

New York, March 19, 2013–At least 14 journalists were attacked by police and supporters of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood group outside the group’s headquarters in Cairo on Saturday and Sunday, according to news reports and local journalists.

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