Press release
Cairo: 15/10/2003

EOHR Calls for Halting the Trial of Mahmoud El Askalani and Abolishing Freedom-undermining Penalties in Publishing Crimes

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) expresses its alarm about the trial of Mahmoud El Askalani, a journalist at Al Arabi newspaper – the mouthpiece of the Nasser Opposition Party. He is charged with libeling and slandering the Minister of Housing and New Construction Communities, Ibrahim Soliman.

 Over two articles published in the editions of 7 and 10 August 2003 of Al Arabi, the said journalist had tackled the violations committed in the engineering works assumed by the ministry as well as not adhering to laws and regulations.

 The said journalist had been referred to the Cairo Appellate Prosecution to be interrogated for what he had published in the newspaper and was charged with libel and slander. Afterwards, he was referred to the Cairo Criminal Court for the session dated October 14, 2003. In such session, the court postponed the trial to the session to be held on November 8, 2003 as the defendant would be present at court.

 Despite its full respect for the Egyptian Judiciary, EOHR reiterates its stable stance in this regard; rejecting the referral of the cases of opinion and the exercise of the right to criticize public officials to courts. Such referrals entail the implementation of aggressive and ambiguous legal provisions, particularly in cases of publishing which lead to imposing freedom-undermining punishments on journalists. EOHR considers such measures as major fetters on practicing the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

 EOHR calls upon the Egyptian authorities, the Syndicate of Journalists and the social powers to immediately work on abolishing the freedom-undermining punishments in the crimes of publishing. Moreover, it calls for civilizing such penalties so as to conform to the international instruments concerned with human rights.