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Our Reports
The Internet In the Arab World
A New Space of Repression?
No Rules, No Limits
United Arab Emirates:
Freedom of expression is missing despite a decision banning imprisonment for press crimes
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Egypt: State Security Prosecution appeals judgment against Essa.
Public Prosecution contests cassation of Hoyada Taha's judgment.
Martial governor rejects Sarando peasants innocence and decides retrial.
& there is more!
Cairo, April 3 2008,
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information stated today "Egyptian government marginalized freedom of expression and is going to appeal judiciary judgments and heavily kill the independence remained of it, just to deprive Egyptians of their last shelter against the executive authority tyranny and its homogeny over other authorities".
Regarding incrimination raised against Ibrahim Essa, the editor-in-chef of Al-Doustour independent newspaper which involves 6 months imprisonment and 200 L.E bill for arrest of judgment, State Security Prosecution appealed the judgment issued based on Penal Code, article 188 which calls for punishing Essa based upon article 102 (repeated of the said law) as it is the article multiplies punishment to 3 years imprisonment instead of one year of maximum imprisonment in article 102/repeated/Penal Code. The session shall be on May 18 in regards to appeal raised by Essa attorneys and State Security Prosecution.
In connection with Howayda Taha, the programs coordinator in Al-Jazeerah space channel, Public Prosecution appealed the cassation decided by Court of Appeal which annulled imprisonment issued by Court of First Instance. However, the judgment of 20000 L.E fine was confirmed, besides the imprisonment judgment was imposed on Taha as the session didn't determined yet.
On the other hand, the military governor decided to kill judiciary independence. He rejected innocence judgments issued against some peasants of Sarando village which located in Behera governorate, in regards to case no.5631/2005/state security/Emergency. That case was considered by Court of State Security/Emergency as it was against 26 persons of Sarando's accused peasants, among which the peasants' lawyer. All judgments of innocence were annulled as their retrial was decided to be held before another judiciary district.
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information considers this new launch against freedom of expression which influenced judiciary judgments, as the most brutal since nineties that interference of military governor was common, however the increase of civilians military tribunals lacks just and equity.
The Public Prosecution who contested cassation of Howayda Taha's judgment, besides the State Security Prosecution who appealed Essa's judgment, are all raising queries about what is exactly the role played by the Public Prosecution in Egypt?!. While many people in Egypt are not subject to punishment in cases regarding torture, elections rigging, corruption,…etc as it became a common phenomenon, we find the Public Prosecution accelerates appealing judgments issued against journalists and conscious callers, just to multiply punishment against them (not acquittal) as if Essa or Howayda Taha had committed torture, rigged elections or even were corrupted! They didn't consider them as journalists who exercised their right of expression either by the pen or the camera in cases of a great concern for the citizens in Egypt.
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said "In a country like Egypt, calls, demands and appeals became nonsense that the call for legal and peaceful fight against that policed suppression is the most effective. That it has to be either a country pays respect to freedom of expression and judiciary independence or a police country at which all civil society institutions in association with callers for democracy in Egypt have to hurl challenge".
For more information, visit:
The Penal Code in Egypt
http://qadaya.net/node/245
Ibrahim Essa's case
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2008/pr0326.shtml
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2008/pr0325.shtml
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2007/pr1001.shtml
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2007/pr0925-2.shtml
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2007/pr0910.shtml
Howayda Taha's case
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2008/pr0211.shtml
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2007/pr0614.shtml
Sarando village peasants's case
http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt/hmcl/2008/pr0323.shtml
http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt/makal/2006/pr1230.shtml
http://qadaya.net/taxonomy/term/93
http://www.hrinfo.net/egypt/makal/2007/pr0124.shtml
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