London, April 7, 2018
Arab Media Freedom Monitor “Ikshef” expresses its deep concern and total condemnation of the new repressive crackdown against press freedom in Egypt, in which the Egyptian regime has started the second term of general Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi. This new wave included the arrest of 4 journalists from their homes in one day; jailing of editor-in-chief of Masr Al-Arabia website, Adel Sabri, for 15 days over publishing-related charges; and the dismissal of the editor-in-chief Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper, Mohamed Al-Sayed Saleh over publishing headline in the newspaper on government mobilizing voters for the elections.
It is clear that this wave is entirely related to the coverage of the recent presidential elections in Egypt. It is also clear that this new wave is launching a new phase in dealing with the Egyptian press, contrary to statements made by Al-Sisi over Egyptians expressing their views freely.
In its report of March 2018, Ikshef monitored several major violations of press freedom during the electoral process, including denying some journalists and photojournalists of coverage, exerting pressure by authorities to impose a single narrative on events, fining Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper 150,000 Egyptian pounds (8,522 dollars), fining Masr Al-Arabia website 50,000 Egyptian pounds (2,840 dollars), blocking Al-Manassa website, deleting online page of Watan TV channel, dismissing the head of the news sector in the state television, and media incitement against the boycotters of the elections, etc.
The four journalists who were jailed besides the editor-in-chief of Masr Al-Arabia website are:
1- Belal Wagdy, of Masr Al-Arabia website
2. Ahmed Abdel-Gawad, of Al-Shorouk newspaper
3 – Adel Issa, of Mobtada website
4- Mohammed Oxygen, of Oxygen Egypt website
Ikshef confirms that this new wave aims to suppress the remaining independent media voices, in order to satisfy the desire of the general Al-Sisi of what he described as the state of media alignment behind him as was the case with former Egyptian president Gamal Abdul-Nasser in the sixties of the last century.
Ikshef calls on the Egyptian authorities to quickly release detained journalists, who are protected by the Egyptian constitution and laws from being jailed for their journalistic work. Also, Ikshef calls upon the United Nations and the international human rights organizations concerned with freedom of the press to rescue Egyptian journalists and the Egyptian press in general from the increasing crackdowns it faces.
