Write Like an Egyptian
By admin • Dec 16th, 2008Regardless, both foresee a presidential pardon similar to the one recently granted to another vocal critic of Muba-rak, Ibrahim Essa, editor-in-chief of the independent weekly and daily editions of Al-Dustur, after being sentenced to a two-month imprisonment for publishing an article questioning Mubarak’s health.
“I have a feeling I will not be locked up because the regime believes my imprisonment is far less than my sins. I will either live or will be killed,” says Qandil sarcastically. “What the government gives with one hand, [it] takes with another. It passes a verdict in one case and pardons another. Initially, we ex-pected a pardon but I do not see that now, because of the government’s punitive, vindictive mentality. The only solution is that they annul laws allowing judges to jail reporters,” adds Alebrashy.
Probing intentions. Perhaps the pardon means Mubarak wants to “affirm his concern for freedom of opinion,” as claimed by the state media, or a result of intense global pressure, as written by al-Dustur, or because the case involves a president who is believed to “dislike problems,” as Adel Hammouda, editor-in-chief of the independent weekly al-Fagr believes.
Hammouda, along with Mohamed al-Baz, were recently ordered to each pay a fine of 80,000 Egyptian pounds ($14,420) in a criminal case brought by the Sheikh of al-Azhar, Mohamed Sayed Tantawy, for “insulting [the] al-Azhar religious in-stitution” through its rector Tantawy.
Al-Fagr ran the controversial article entitled, “The Grand Vatican Sheikh,” accompanied by a doctored picture of Egypt’s leading cleric wearing a papal robe and a large cross. The Egyptian opposition often criticizes Tantawy for his support for Mubarak.
“Hadn’t we paid the fine, we would have gone to prison to sweep floors. Isn’t this insulting to journalists! Ours was a criminal case and consequently the money went to the government. The victim can afterwards file a civil case for compensation, though Tantawy hasn’t filed one yet,” says Hammouda.
Will hefty fines and criminalizing freedom of expression force journalists to self-censor, or will they remain defiant? “To a certain extent, journalists will be careful. Al-Baz’ article would have not been affected had we removed four sentences. Al-Fagr had the financial capability to pay, but what about other papers with poor financial resources?” asks Hammouda.
To resolve this, he suggested fines be collected from the public and that a similar amount be paid by newspapers to establish a fund at the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate (EJS). “Journalists must also have insurance policies,” he says. “What you see now in Egypt has nothing to do with freedom. It all boils down to a writer’s courage. Any story can be sued.”
