Egypt / Middle East & North Africa

  

Egyptian prosecutions continue despite free-speech pledges

New York January 11, 2013–Egyptian authorities are continuing a stream of criminal prosecutions against journalists, despite President Mohamed Morsi’s recent pledge to allow free speech. At least three more criminal cases proceeded this week, on top of four that CPJ documented earlier this month.

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Egyptian TV host Bassem Youssef is under investigation for allegedly insulting Egypt's president, a criminal offense. (AP/Ahmed Omar)

Egypt steps up campaign against critical media

New York January 3, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a series of investigations into independent Egyptian newspapers on accusations of insulting the president or reporting false news. Some newspapers and media professionals face formal charges in connection to their critical reporting, according to news reports.

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Journalist deaths spike in 2012 due to Syria, Somalia

Syrian violence contributed to a sharp rise in the number of journalists killed for their work in 2012, as did a series of murders in Somalia. The dead include a record proportion of journalists who worked online. A CPJ special report

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Demonstrators protest outside the presidential palace in Cairo. (AFP/Mahmoud Khaled)

Journalists attacked while covering protests in Egypt

New York, December 7, 2012–CPJ condemns a series of attacks on journalists covering protests in Cairo over the proposed constitution and calls on authorities to investigate the assaults and bring an immediate end to the anti-press violence. At least five journalists were struck by rubber bullets, leaving one in critical condition, and several others were…

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In protest of the proposed constitution, the front page of Al-Masry al-Youm has a black background and the headline, "No to dictatorship." (AP/Nasser Nasser)

Proposed Egyptian constitution would limit media freedom

New York, December 4, 2012–The proposed Egyptian constitution would impose several new restrictions on press freedom–including the creation of a new government regulator and new governmental authority to shut media outlets–while doing nothing to halt the criminal prosecution of journalists, which was a hallmark of the Hosni Mubarak regime, the Committee to Protect Journalists said…

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Egyptian court sentences journalist to jail for defamation

New York, October 25, 2012–An Egyptian appellate court should strike down the criminal defamation conviction and prison term handed down this week against a television commentator, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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In Egypt, journalists attacked while covering protests

Two Egyptian journalists were assaulted on September 14, 2012, in two separate episodes while covering protests against an anti-Islam film, according to news reports.

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In Egypt, Morsi bans pre-trial detention of journalists

New York, August 23, 2012–Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi banned pre-trial detention of journalists charged with press-related offenses today in a decree issued just hours after a Cairo criminal court jailed an editor pending trial on charges of insulting the president, according to news reports. 

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Supporters raise a photo of President Morsi. (AP/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian government attempts to suppress the media

New York, August 16, 2012–President Mohamed Morsi’s government and allies are pushing back against critical news coverage, suppressing critical journalists and state-run newspapers, putting a journalist on trial, and attacking three journalists on the street, according to news reports.

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a press conference in Cairo on Saturday. (AP/Brendan Smialowski)

Egypt’s state-run media threatened by Shura move

The first test for the future of press freedom in Egypt since President Mohamed Morsi took office is not going well.

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