Before the Eid, is it Egypt President’s Turn to Bring Equity to Freedom of Opinion

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said today ” following the Yemeni president Ali Abdalla Saleh order to release the prominent journalist Abd Al Karim Al Khaiwani three days ago, preceded by the Moroccan king order to release Fuad Murtada last April , who had impersonalize the king”s brother on the internet website (Face book), we wish that president Mubarak end the trial of the Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Issa, in the case well known as (The President”s Health). in which the court is expected to take a decision tomorrow.

Last Wednesday, the Yemeni president issued his orders to release the journalist Abd Al Karim Al Khaiwani, who was sentenced to six years in prison. And he was released accordingly. The King of Morocco Mohamed the Sixth had also made a pardon in favor of the engineer Fuad Murtada who was sentenced to three years in prison for pretending to be the king”s brother in last April.

Today, and a few days before the feast, all those concerned with freedom of the press and freedom of expression are looking forward to the court of appeal of Ibrahim Issa, editor-in-chief of the independent daily newspaper Addustour, and hoping for the president to use his authorities to end the trial as he did several times by pardon or re-trial or release order in favor of prisoners.

The exceptionality of this case stems from its direct relation with the president Mubarak as a person, whereas the charges against Ibrahim Issa based on the prosecutor allegations of” publishing false news” on president”s health, a sentence to 6 months term plus a bail was already handed to Issa on 26th of March 2008. Moreover, this case reminds us of the president”s promise made four years ago to end imprisonment on crimes related to the press publishing.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information(ANHRI) added: “before the Feast, and amid public grieve and fury on several disasters and crisis overwhelmed Egyptian community, this case comes as
a glimpse of hope in a depressing situation in Egypt, we wish president Mubarak will make it”.