Theresa42
Well-known member
Not bf news, but a story on the latest crackdowns on the press in Egypt. "Al Wafd" is one of the Egyptian papers that typically carries quite a lot of bf news....
Egypt court orders three journalists jailed
Mon 24 Sep 2007, 13:14 GMT
CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court sentenced three journalists from the opposition al-Wafd newspaper to two years in jail on Monday after they were convicted of publishing lies about the justice minister, judicial sources said.
Analysts say Egypt's ruling party wants to quash dissent ahead of an ultimate transition of power from President Hosni Mubarak, who at 79 has been in power for a quarter of a century.
The al-Wafd newspaper is the mouthpiece of the nationalist opposition Wafd party.
Its editor Anwar al-Hawari and two journalists were convicted over a January article that quoted Justice Minister Mamdouh al-Mari'a as telling a parliamentary committee that 90 percent of first instance judges were not qualified to decide cases.
After the story ran, a justice ministry spokesman issued a denial. Al-Wafd carried the denial, but a group of 11 attorneys sued, saying the newspaper's actions had "led to doubts over the judiciary".
All three journalists, none of whom attended the trial, were to be allowed to remain free pending appeal on bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds. The men were also fined 2,201 pounds each.
Earlier this month, in a separate ruling that drew swift condemnation from rights groups, an Egyptian court sentenced four other journalists [from a couple of other newspapers] to a year in jail for defaming Mubarak and his politician son Gamal.
Analysts say waning U.S. pressure on Egypt to improve its human rights record and allow more political dissent has given the government a freer hand in silencing detractors. Cairo says its judiciary is independent and not politically influenced.
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN451290.html
Egypt court orders three journalists jailed
Mon 24 Sep 2007, 13:14 GMT
CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court sentenced three journalists from the opposition al-Wafd newspaper to two years in jail on Monday after they were convicted of publishing lies about the justice minister, judicial sources said.
Analysts say Egypt's ruling party wants to quash dissent ahead of an ultimate transition of power from President Hosni Mubarak, who at 79 has been in power for a quarter of a century.
The al-Wafd newspaper is the mouthpiece of the nationalist opposition Wafd party.
Its editor Anwar al-Hawari and two journalists were convicted over a January article that quoted Justice Minister Mamdouh al-Mari'a as telling a parliamentary committee that 90 percent of first instance judges were not qualified to decide cases.
After the story ran, a justice ministry spokesman issued a denial. Al-Wafd carried the denial, but a group of 11 attorneys sued, saying the newspaper's actions had "led to doubts over the judiciary".
All three journalists, none of whom attended the trial, were to be allowed to remain free pending appeal on bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds. The men were also fined 2,201 pounds each.
Earlier this month, in a separate ruling that drew swift condemnation from rights groups, an Egyptian court sentenced four other journalists [from a couple of other newspapers] to a year in jail for defaming Mubarak and his politician son Gamal.
Analysts say waning U.S. pressure on Egypt to improve its human rights record and allow more political dissent has given the government a freer hand in silencing detractors. Cairo says its judiciary is independent and not politically influenced.
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN451290.html