EGYPT Press freedom was dealt a triple blow in 2005—in Parliament, in court, and on the street. President Hosni Mubarak failed to honor promises made in 2004 to introduce legislation that would decriminalize press offenses. A criminal court handed jail terms to three journalists from one of the country’s few independent newspapers for defaming a…
UNITED STATES An investigation into the leak of a CIA officer’s identity erupted, with one reporter compelled to testify about his confidential source, another jailed for 85 days before she testified, and a high-level White House aide indicted on federal charges of perjury, false statements, and obstruction of justice. Confidentiality of sources was under attack…
New York, December 2, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the assault and harassment by Egyptian authorities of journalists covering parliamentary elections. CPJ sources and press reports confirm over a dozen cases in which journalists have been attacked, detained, or prevented from working since the first round of voting in the three-round election began on…
New York, August 11, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed its dismay today that an Egyptian editor is still missing two years after his disappearance in central Cairo. CPJ urgently called on Egypt’s government to locate Reda Helal, deputy editor for the semi-official daily Al-Ahram. Colleagues said Helal left Al-Ahram’s Cairo offices early the afternoon…
JUNE 2005 Posted: June 21, 2005 Shaymaa Abol Kheir, Al-Dustour Abeer al-Askary Al-Dustour HARASSED On May 25, government supporters beat several foreign and local journalists covering a protest over limited presidential elections. Journalists interviewed by CPJ said that Egyptian security forces did not intervene. Journalists said they suspected some of the assailants were actually security…
New York, May 26, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the assault of several foreign and local journalists by government supporters as police looked on during demonstrations in Cairo yesterday. Journalists told CPJ that the attacks took place as they were covering demonstrations in downtown Cairo organized by Kifaya (Enough), an opposition group that was…
MAY 25, 2005 Posted: June 21, 2005 Shaymaa Abol Kheir, Al-Dustour Gamal Fahmi, Press Syndicate and Al-Arabi Mohamed Abdel Kouddous, Press Syndicate Several other journalists ATTACKED Government supporters assaulted several foreign and local journalists as police looked on during demonstrations in Cairo.
New York, May 13, 2005—Authorities in Cairo today detained six Al-Jazeera employees and two freelance technicians covering a national gathering of judges, a station editor told the Committee to Protect Journalists. Hussein Abdel Ghani, Al-Jazeera’s bureau chief in Cairo, said four Al-Jazeera staffers and the two technicians were preparing for a live transmission outside the…