Egyptian human rights organisations have called upon the Supreme Council of Press (SCP) to comply with the law and not to hinder the publication of the newspaper Al-Badiel, which has met all provisions for release as set by the law. The legal 40-day period for the announcement of any SCP objection has passed with neither a response nor the approval of a licence for the newspaper.
A press release issued by nine human rights organisations alleged that SCP had adopted an inflexible stance since the first day the newspaper was established. SCP trustee officials had failed to respond to the demands of the newspaper's editors to be notified of current or foreseeable problems in order that they be forewarned against making any mistakes. Trustee officials also wrote a letter after the end of the legally assigned period to request more formal clarification on one of the submitted documents. This reflected in SCP a desire to waste time and a lack of adherence to legally set timelines.
The organisations held the view that the provisions of SCP violated the right to publish newspapers in Egypt, the stipulations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCP), to which Egypt was a signatory and which subsequently became an integral part of its internal law, and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. Despite these violations and despite Al-Badiel editors' compliance with provisions of issuance, SCP had failed to license the newspaper. This proved that SCP was inconsiderate of the law, which is illegal due to the fact that SCP is seeking to limit the freedom to issue newspapers in Egypt, they alleged.
The nine organisations urged SCP to comply with the law and issue Al-Badiel a licence as a saving grace for itself before the administrative court considers the claim filed by the newspapers' editors on February 6, 2007.
They also urged Arab and international human rights organisations to defend freedom of the press by pressuring this council — which stands against freedom of expression and press —to comply with the law and values of press freedom, and not to act as an obstacle in the path of an independent press as it is necessary for ensuring the freedom of the people.
The organisations are the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Association for Human Rights Legal Aid, Habi Center for Environmental Rights, Civil Observatory of Human Rights, El-Ganob Center for Human Rights, One-World Foundation for Development and Civil Society Care, Freedom of Thought and Expression Foundation, and Land Center for Human Rights.
