Al Dustour’s Eissa Acquitted in Egyptian President’s Health Case

Al Dustour’s Eissa Acquitted in Egyptian President’s Health Case

Boulak Abo Al Ela Court acquitted journalist Ibrahim Eissa, the editor-in-chief of the Egyptian daily Al-Dustour, in the lawsuit accusing him of spreading rumors around the health of the Egyptian president.
 
The lawsuit was filed against Eissa over articles that he published last August 2007 around a rumour that tackled the reported illness of the Egyptian President.
 
This lawsuit, filed last February, is one of several other lawsuits against Eissa after he published these articles. Those filing them demand a compensation for the claimed losses after the state of worry and panic that his articles caused.
 
Called political hisba cases by political observers, such cases reflect the Egyptian regime”s persistent efforts to silence Egyptian journalists topped by Eissa. The regime sees it as a last resort to eradicate any pro opposition voices in the press field.
 
It is worth mentioning that Ibrahim Eis was sentenced last March, 26th, to 6 months in prison by another court in a similar case while other six lawsuits around the same issue were dismissed.
 
Last year, Eissa faced a prison sentence on charge of insulting the president and his sentence was commuted to a 22,000 pounds fine after he lodged an appeal.