The Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) has decried security forces’ mounting prosecution of anti-government journalists in Egypt, as well as harassing them for the purpose of muzzling voices of dissent.
On March 17, security forces apprehended Mohamed Madni, Misr 25 channel correspondent in Alexandria. Prior to his arrest, security forces had invaded his house, and then took him to unknown place. His apprehension came in a contravention to the Constitution’s articles; which stipulate that the journalist must be informed of the reasons for his detention once he is arrested, besides giving him the right to telephone whom he wants.
Mohamed Madni is a journalist, who worked at many press institutions, such as Al-Masry Al-Youm, Al-Dostour, and Nahdet Masr newspapers. He ended up working at Misr 25 TV channel, which had been suspended upon administrative decisions in early July 2013.
Such an incident occurred in light of the Egyptian government’s expanding prosecution of journalists. Samah Ibrahim, Freedom and Justice newspaper journalist, was sentenced to one year in jail with labour. Ibrahim was detained while she was covering the referendum on the constitutional amendments on January 14; over charges of attempting to disrupt the referendum.
This incident also coincides with the military court’s consideration of the first trial hearing of journalists Amr Salama Al-Qazzaz, co-founder of the Rassd Network- along with Islam Al-Homsi- director of the social media department at the network. They both are accused, by the court, of publishing leaked videos of Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Sisi.
ANHRI believes that criminal prosecution of journalists and opinion makers constitutes a clear violation of freedom of expression together with press freedom. It also represents the authority’s insistence on muzzling voices of dissent and their anti-policies journalists. ANHRI emphasises that the military trial of civilians in general, and journalists in particular serves as a flagrant encroachment on the right to have a fair trial; and a waste of the principle of natural judge.
Furthermore, ANHRI considers the detention of journalists as well as prosecuting them criminally and militarily, as a clear indication of the Egyptian government’s intention to not comply with the final constitution’s principles, including the respect of freedoms at large and freedom of expression in particular.
ANHRI called upon Egyptian authorities to release the detained journalists, and to fairly and transparently re-investigate them over the pressed crimes. As well, it calls for prosecuting those whoever is proven to be involved in any publications cases before a civil court; as it deemed the natural judiciary for any civilian who may violate the law.
