Censorship banned the distribution of Zawaya Magazine in Egypt.

 EOHR has received information that the last edition (third and fourth) of Zawaya magazine has been banned from distributing in Egypt. However EOHR was not notified of the reasons of the banning, it is concerned as it was informed that the banning was due to unwritten decision. This comes shortly after the Egyptian authorities permitted the distribution of the Lebanese magazine “Al Adab”- it was formerly banned by unwritten decision too.

Noteworthy is that, due to the information received by EOHR, Zawaya is characterized with being” youth’s cultural magazine”. Its editor in chief is Beiar Abou Sa’b; it is issued in Beirut, in Arabic, and distributed in other Arab countries. According to the received information, the last edition contained articles written by well known writers all over the Arab world; the Syrian poet Mohammed Al Maghout, Egyptian writer Safinaz Kazim, Moroccan writer Fatima Al Marnisi, film maker Akram Al Za’tari, Iraqi poet Shawki Abdel Amir. Furthermore it contained articles on the deceased Egyptian director Radwan Al Kashef, the Lebanese artist Zeyad Al Rahbani, the deceased Palestinian poet Hussein Al Barghouthy and others as well.

EOHR has formerly welcomed the Egyptian authorities’ decision to permit the distribution of Al Adab magazine, however it feels danger threatens the freedom of opinion and expression as the undeclared and unwritten decisions usurp the right to file cases (suit before the court). Consequently, EOHR urges the Egyptian authority to release the last edition of “Zawaya” in respect to the right to the freedom of opinion and expression granted by the Egyptian constitution and with virtue of article 19 of The International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights.