Media Experts: Attack on Freedom and Justice Newspaper Serious Assault on Freedoms

A number of journalists and media experts have denounced brutal attempts by certain demonstrators to storm the headquarters of the Freedom and Justice Newspaper (FJN).

Qutb Al-Arabi, journalist and Assistant Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for the Press, stressed that leaving the FJN headquarters to demonstrators to attack and ransack amounts to suppression of freedom of opinion and freedom of the press supposedly guaranteed by the State.

Arabi holds that it is the responsibility of State authorities stand firm against any attacks on journalists, or attempts to prevent them from performing their duties.

Arabi criticized the attitude of some journalists and politicians who give political cover for violent acts by some demonstrators as they violate freedom of the press, and never try to face up to these attacks.

He further stressed his rejection of some demonstrators’ protests outside Cairo’s Media City and indirect threats to journalists inside the City.

Dr. Farouk Abu-Zeid, Professor of Journalism at the Faculty of Information, said that blockading the FJN headquarters is a crime against the press, unprecedented in the history of Egypt.

“This clearly is systematic, organized thuggery which I certainly condemn out of respect for freedom of the press, for all media professionals and journalists, which safeguards their liberty and safety.

Moreover, Abu-Zeid said a newspaper’s affiliation with any specific political party does not give opponents any right to attack journalists or stop them from performing their duties.