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Repression and Tyranny Makers Confiscate Press Freedom Ibrahim Essa Sentenced to 2 Month Jail
by malek | أحد, 28/09/2008 - 16:22
As losers who know nothing but repression and tyranny, they were predictable. As losers who failed miserably to make any development progress or even preserve the past gains, their repression was predictable. As losers who failed totally to manage any crisis that ranged from rice straw fires to price rise fires, their tyranny and polices were a blatant expression of their own corruption. As losers who have a shipyard of straitjacket laws, their ears couldn't bear the voice of the independent press, they couldn't stand the courage of the new press especially Al Dostour newspaper and its editor-in-chief, Ibrahim Essa, because their ears have been accustomed for decades to hear praise and flattery from their own newspapers.
Though the Egyptian regime has repeatedly promised to unleash press freedom as well as abolishing jail sentences in publication cases, today a new 2-month jail sentence has been handed down against Ibrahim Essa, the editor-in-chief of Al Dostour newspaper. He has been accused of defaming the ruling National Democratic party and promoting rumors about the president's declining health. Contesting the 6-month jail sentence handed down by the court of first instance, Bolaq Abu Al Ola Misdemeanor Appeal Court sentenced Essa to two months. The case had been filed by someone affiliated to the ruling National Democratic party on the pretext that Essa's articles about the president's declining health has terrified him. As a result the prosecutor's investigations had begun as if Essa's articles had caused the flee of $350 million worth investments from Egypt.
This sentence is not a surprise for us since everything in this case has predicted this end: instead of investigating the case within the Public Prosecutor's Offices, the case was referred to the State security Prosecutor's Office, and to be indicated as a state security case and finally retreating and saying that it will be heard before the natural judiciary.
All this organized confusion reflected the air in which the investigations and trial were conducted. The jail sentence handed down against Ibrahim Essa is—in fact—a sentence against all Egyptian journalists, press freedom, and all international agreements Egypt signed.
If they want by this ruling to intimidate the new journalism, we would say no to this kind of intimidation, our pens will continue exposing corrupts and our mouthes will not be muffled, and Essa and his comrades will not be broken. We have to make Essa's two-month jail a two-month resistance for press freedom and a two-month defamation against its murderers.
We are not the ones who support Essa, but we are the ones who need support from Essa's pen because his pen is more powerful than any support. We are waiting for more from this pen.
Hisham Mubarak Law Center
As losers who know nothing but repression and tyranny, they were predictable. As losers who failed miserably to make any development progress or even preserve the past gains, their repression was predictable. As losers who failed totally to manage any crisis that ranged from rice straw fires to price rise fires, their tyranny and polices were a blatant expression of their own corruption. As losers who have a shipyard of straitjacket laws, their ears couldn't bear the voice of the independent press, they couldn't stand the courage of the new press especially Al Dostour newspaper and its editor-in-chief, Ibrahim Essa, because their ears have been accustomed for decades to hear praise and flattery from their own newspapers.
Though the Egyptian regime has repeatedly promised to unleash press freedom as well as abolishing jail sentences in publication cases, today a new 2-month jail sentence has been handed down against Ibrahim Essa, the editor-in-chief of Al Dostour newspaper. He has been accused of defaming the ruling National Democratic party and promoting rumors about the president's declining health. Contesting the 6-month jail sentence handed down by the court of first instance, Bolaq Abu Al Ola Misdemeanor Appeal Court sentenced Essa to two months. The case had been filed by someone affiliated to the ruling National Democratic party on the pretext that Essa's articles about the president's declining health has terrified him. As a result the prosecutor's investigations had begun as if Essa's articles had caused the flee of $350 million worth investments from Egypt.
This sentence is not a surprise for us since everything in this case has predicted this end: instead of investigating the case within the Public Prosecutor's Offices, the case was referred to the State security Prosecutor's Office, and to be indicated as a state security case and finally retreating and saying that it will be heard before the natural judiciary.
All this organized confusion reflected the air in which the investigations and trial were conducted. The jail sentence handed down against Ibrahim Essa is—in fact—a sentence against all Egyptian journalists, press freedom, and all international agreements Egypt signed.
If they want by this ruling to intimidate the new journalism, we would say no to this kind of intimidation, our pens will continue exposing corrupts and our mouthes will not be muffled, and Essa and his comrades will not be broken. We have to make Essa's two-month jail a two-month resistance for press freedom and a two-month defamation against its murderers.
We are not the ones who support Essa, but we are the ones who need support from Essa's pen because his pen is more powerful than any support. We are waiting for more from this pen.
Hisham Mubarak Law Center
