Officials in Washington are expressing concern over the situation of human rights in Egypt after three journalists were given prison sentences on Monday for items they had published.
A court sentenced Anwar Al-Hawari, the editor of the Al-Wafd opposition newspaper, and two other journalists, Mahmoud Ghalab and Amir ‘Uthman, to two years jail plus a fine for publishing “untrue information,” which the court said damaged the image of the justice system and the Justice Ministry.
The White House expressed “deep concern” over the sentences, as well as the recent closure of an Egyptian human rights organization.
“These latest decisions appear to contradict the Egyptian government’s stated commitment to expand democratic rights,” a White House press statement said. “We urge the Egyptian government to expand protections for journalists and lift the restrictions on NGO activities,” it added.
The three were sentenced following an item that appeared in Al-Wafd in January quoting Justice Minister Mamdouh Mar’i criticizing the working standards of Egyptian judges. Mar’i’s claims that he was misquoted led to the trial of the journalists.
The journalists insist their quotes were accurate and that they were following professional standards of journalism.
On September 13 an Egyptian court sentenced four other journalists from independent and opposition newspapers to up to one year in jail plus fines for publishing articles, which the judge said implied the ruling National Democratic Party was dictatorial.
Rights organizations are criticizing Cairo for imprisoning journalists who censure the leadership and are calling for the revision of the country’s press laws. The Union of Egyptian Journalists described those sentences as a “declaration of war” on press freedom.