Egyptian House Speaker: Including Media Under Anti-Terror Law Under Study

The Egyptian House speaker revealed that the media may be incriminated under provisions of the currently studied anti-terrorism law which will replace the emergency law.
 
Dr. Fathi Sorour, the People’s Assembly speaker, revealed that the media may be incriminated for helping outlawed groups in spreading terrorism, under provisions of the currently studied anti-terrorism law which will replace the emergency law.
 
Dr. Fathi Sorour said this in the joint press conference with Dr. Mofeed Shehab, the Minister of state for legal and parliamentarian affairs, held on Wednesday on the sidelines of the first Al-Gumhouria conference for anti- terrorism studies, and was attended by Mohamed Aboualhdid, the board director of Dar Al-Tahrir, and Safwat Abu Taleb, the manager of studies center.
 
“The anti-terrorism law will be applied on any journalist or media outlet that publish acts of terrorist for outlawed groups”, added Sorour, pointing out that the media will be considered an aide for terrorists in this case”
“If the journalist is a member in a terrorist cell or organization, and publishes the ideas of the organization, he will be sued under the anti-terrorism law” said Sorour.
 
“Any legally recognized political activity is permitted for the Muslim Brotherhood group, unless it includes intimidation, and has underground actions that may fall under the banner of terrorist” Said Sorour, pointing out that the freedom of staging demonstrations, democratic aspects and freedom of expression will be permitted it, but any thing beyond these will be incriminated .
 
Asked about any possible violations on the part of the security while applying the anti-terrorism law, Sorour said that violations are possible in applying the law, but we should not consider the violations a general phenomenon.
 
The first anti-terrorism conference in Al-Gumhouriya studies center was attended by ant-terrorism experts from all Arab countries. Dr. Fathi Sorour said in his speech, that he delivered in the opening session attended by Mohamed Aboualhdid, the board director of Dar Al-Tahrir:” The country has the right to combat terrorism to defend its sovereignty, security, stability, and to protect lives and rights of its citizens, taking into consideration that combating terrorism aims mainly at protecting human rights.
 
For his part, journalist and parliamentarian Mohsen Radi said that the speech delivered by the Egyptian House speaker Dr. Fathi Sorour confirms and reveals the regime’s real intentions behind the constitutional amendments which have recently been approved by the Egyptian regime and passed in March 26 referendum that was marred by violations: the real intentions are silencing any opposition voice in Egypt and tightening the regime’s grip on power.
 
Radi pointed out that Sorour’s speech is a direct threat to all journalists and media men; this threat demands them to obey and support the ruling regime or they will be incriminated under the anti-terrorism law.
Radi added that freedom of journalists in Egypt is a mere illusion; while the ruling regime is describing Mubarak’s era as an era that didn’t witness persecuting a journalist, we see and witness many cases filed against journalists and some of them were thrown behind bars- I was one of them; many well-reputed opposition newspapers were unlicensed.