ICPJ congratulates Ibrahim Eissa Praises his role in enhancing freedom of opinion and expression
The International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ)
congratulates editor-in-chief of Al-Dustour for being spared from jail.
ICPJ salutes Eissa for his unrelenting courage for
establishing his newspaper as a flagship to combat corruption and to
correct the map of his country, Egypt.
The Geneva based NGO says that Al-Dustour is one of the beacons, along
with ElBadeel, AlWafd and others in the frontline for the defense of
freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt and the Arab World.
Ibrahim Eissa, editor in chief of opposition newspaper Al-Dustour,
received a presidential pardon on the 6th of October, 2008 on charges
of publishing “false information…likely to damage public interest and
security.”
Eissa was sentenced to two months in prison on
September 28th 2008 after publishing articles in August 2007 which
speculated on the health of President Hosni Mubarak.
Agnes Callamard, Executive Director, ARTICLE 19 commented on the Presidential pardon by saying that in recent
years Egyptian journalists have been subjected to repeated
government-lead attacks that aim to silence dissent and which undermine
freedom of expression in Egypt.
“ARTICLE19
is hopeful that the early release of Ibrahim Eissa marks an improvement
in the Egyptian government’s treatment of media professionals” said Dr. Callamard.
She added that ARTICLE 19 welcomes the early release of Ibrahim Eissa
and calls on the Egyptian government to immediately halt the
imprisonment of journalists for publication crimes.
“Egypt’s Penal Code criminalizes ‘insulting the president’ and
defamation of government under the pretext of public interest and
national security. ARTICLE 19 strongly urges the Egyptian government to
reform its penal code which contradicts standards set under
international treaties signed by Egypt such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said the renowned freedom of expression and opinion expert. 9 October 2008
