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EOHR is following up the situation of the Press Syndicate crisis and
forms a committee to monitor the next elections
August 1,2003
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights is optimistic about the signs indicating the end of the Press Syndicate crisis. EOHR is also contended with the setting of the end of this July as a date for holding the journalists elections. EOHR was concerned most about getting shackled by the judicial guardianship which is considered a great disadvantage of Law No. 100 of 1993 on professional syndicate rendering the more active professional syndicates inactive.
EOHR regards the Press syndicate not just a professional tool, but also as a cornerstone for defending freedom of the press in particular, and the freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt in general. Consequently, the end of the crisis of the Press Syndicate is not merely overcoming a legal obstacle, but also saving one of the most significant syndicates in Egypt. If matters, hopefully, go on as such so that journalists would hold democratic elections, it will be a promising model for the possibility of reviving Egyptian syndicates.
IN this respect, EOHR declares its solidarity with the demands of the journalists concerning re-empowering the General Assembly of the syndicate - being a basis for autonomy and internal democracy. Thus, it is imperative to make essential amendments to the Law on Professional Syndicates. EOHR has been calling for such amendments since the mid-1990s based on the fact that Law No. 100 of 1993 on Professional Syndicates is unconstitutional as it contradicts the provision of Article 56 of the Constitution which prohibits the dismissal of elected councils except through the Board of Voters. In this respect, EOHR is seconding the decisions of the Committee for Defending the Press Syndicate, on top of which is the rejection of any intervention in the electoral process. Moreover, EOHR is supporting the recommendation of the Committee concerning re-adopting the system of dividing the electoral committees alphabetically and not according to the firms providing a chance for equality among the candidates.
Therefore, EOHR decides - within the framework of following up the situation in the Press Syndicate - to form a committee comprising autonomous journalists and EOHR members to follow up the next journalists' elections. EOHR is looking forward to making such an experience a democratic model for the electoral process. EOHR is hopeful that the bulk of journalists would succeed in activating a number of professional and democratic demands such as the abolishment of the penalty of imprisoning journalists in publication cases and the amendment of Law No. 100 of 1993.
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