• EGYPT
  • September 5, 2012
  • 3 minutes read

Shehabeddin: Critics of Supreme Council of Press Not Used to Intellectual Diversity and Multiplicity

Shehabeddin: Critics of Supreme Council of Press Not Used to Intellectual Diversity and Multiplicity

Fathi Shehabeddin, Chairman of the Shura Council (Egyptian upper house of parliament)’s Committee on Information, Culture and Tourism, affirmed that selection of the Supreme Council of the Press (SCP) was not based on ??quotas, as some claim.


He pointed that critics of the SCP are individuals not used to seeing diversity or multiplicity in national councils.


"The Shura Council was keen to have all intellectual currents represented, with no hegemony by any one such current in the SCP. Evidently, those who oppose the new council, only do so for narrow personal purposes or just for the sake of objecting."


Shehabeddin further explained that the formation of the SCP is legally valid, and that there is no reason for any intervention by the Shura Council, except for a minimal contribution with regard to public figures, limiting them to 22 prominent personalities.


"The rules of selecting SCP members detail the criteria for the selection of chief-editors or chairpersons of national (government) newspapers. The Shura Council did not interfere with selection of any of these. These rules state that four party-affiliated newspaper chief-editors should be included. The Shura Council plays no part in selecting these.


"The rules also stipulate the presence of the chairman of the Journalists Syndicate and the head of the General Union of Press, Printing and Publishing Workers. Both are chosen by those belonging to these establishments. Evidently, with respect to members of the SCP, the intervention of the Shura Council is minimal."


Moreover, Shehabeddin pointed that the Shura Council was keen that public figures selected for the SCP belong to all currents, and are personally interested in the field of journalism. He further added that the same rules also dictate selection of university professors and members of the legal profession into the SCP.