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Restrictions to freedom of Opinion and expression continue
Coordinator of CTUWS sentenced to one year of imprisonment
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16/10/2007
EOHR expresses its deepest worries concerning sentence Kamal Abbas the coordinator of Center of Trade Unions and Workers Services (CTUWS) and Ahmed Helmy (Lawyer) to one year of imprisonment as they were charged with libel and defaming in case No. 269 Misdemeanor – May 2007 .
This case returns to lawsuit prosecuted by Mohamed Mostafa Ibrahim , the previous directors' board chairman of "15th of May Youth Center", against both of Kamal Abbas and Mohamed Helmy who committed a public libel crimes through publishing in "Kalam Sanaeya's newsletter ", a non-periodical newsletter issued by CTUWS ,as he described .
EOHR confirms its steady stand in appreciating Egyptian judiciary .It expresses its deepest condemnation concerning issuing punishments to freedom of opinion and expression's cases in order to abide by opinion and expression's freedom which considered a cornerstone of democratic society.
According to Egyptian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Egyptian government and became part and parcel of Egypt's national legislation on the bases of Article 151 from the Constitution. EOHR calls upon all institutions, civil society and Journalists Syndicate to stand together against the attack that violates press freedom's, and to launch a national campaign to include media's figures, parties' representatives, profession syndications' representatives and all freedom of expression activists in order to promote the government to amend the legislative structure related to press freedom by canceling all negative punishments for freedom in publishing crimes which is considered a threat to journalist's life and security, and also is considered a main restriction to the right access of information and freedom of expression
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