Published Thursday, November 17, 2011The international community must act to protect freedom of speech and expression in Egypt, the rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in a statement on its website.
RSF warned of a serious deterioration of media freedom as upcoming parliamentary elections edge closer, accusing Egypt's ruling military -- the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) -- of detaining journalists and netizens, and stifling free speech.
"The Supreme Council has constantly restricted freedom of information ever since President Hosni Mubarak’s removal on 11 February. It has summoned journalists and bloggers before military courts and has convicted and jailed netizens," the RSF statement read.
RSF points to the high profile detention of prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah, who was recently hit with a 15-day extension to his detention, as an example of the SCAF's restrictions on free speech. Abdel Fattah's case is being heard by a military court, and recently wrote to al-Akhbar of his ordeal in detention.
The rights group contended that Egypt's ruling military is all but reinforcing the same restrictive measures that were prevalent throughout former President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year autocratic rule.
"The Supreme Council has not only perpetuated Mubarak’s methods of controlling news and information but has reinforced them. The trials of civilians before military courts are now the norm," it said.
Democracy cannot be achieved without media freedom, and its restriction poses a "grave danger" to Egypt's democratic transition, RSF warned.
Ahmad Abul Hassan, spokesman for the Egyptian embassy in Beirut, responded to the accusations by stressing that Egypt's rulers understood that "freedom was a basic principle of the revolution."
"Freedom of expression and information were the real focus in the revolution," he said.
Abul Hassan did not elaborate on the specific accusation, only to add that he saw no reason why Alaa Abdel Fattah should not be tried in a civilian court.
"I don't see why he [Alaa] shouldn't be tried before a civilian court, because he's a civilian," he told al-Akhbar.
Egypt's ruling SCAF reimposed the dreaded emergency laws in September, and have actively detained bloggers and journalists, raising fears that the democratic hopes of the Egyptian revolution may be in danger.
(al-Akhbar)
RSF warned of a serious deterioration of media freedom as upcoming parliamentary elections edge closer, accusing Egypt's ruling military -- the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) -- of detaining journalists and netizens, and stifling free speech.
"The Supreme Council has constantly restricted freedom of information ever since President Hosni Mubarak’s removal on 11 February. It has summoned journalists and bloggers before military courts and has convicted and jailed netizens," the RSF statement read.
RSF points to the high profile detention of prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah, who was recently hit with a 15-day extension to his detention, as an example of the SCAF's restrictions on free speech. Abdel Fattah's case is being heard by a military court, and recently wrote to al-Akhbar of his ordeal in detention.
The rights group contended that Egypt's ruling military is all but reinforcing the same restrictive measures that were prevalent throughout former President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year autocratic rule.
"The Supreme Council has not only perpetuated Mubarak’s methods of controlling news and information but has reinforced them. The trials of civilians before military courts are now the norm," it said.
Democracy cannot be achieved without media freedom, and its restriction poses a "grave danger" to Egypt's democratic transition, RSF warned.
Ahmad Abul Hassan, spokesman for the Egyptian embassy in Beirut, responded to the accusations by stressing that Egypt's rulers understood that "freedom was a basic principle of the revolution."
"Freedom of expression and information were the real focus in the revolution," he said.
Abul Hassan did not elaborate on the specific accusation, only to add that he saw no reason why Alaa Abdel Fattah should not be tried in a civilian court.
"I don't see why he [Alaa] shouldn't be tried before a civilian court, because he's a civilian," he told al-Akhbar.
Egypt's ruling SCAF reimposed the dreaded emergency laws in September, and have actively detained bloggers and journalists, raising fears that the democratic hopes of the Egyptian revolution may be in danger.
(al-Akhbar)
Uprooted Palestinian
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