From the Daily Star Egypt:
A total of 22 independent and opposition daily newspapers did not publish on Sunday in protest of the lengthy jail sentences recently handed down to several journalists.
The newspapers were Al-Masry Al-Youm, Al-Badil, Al-Dostour, Al-Osbou, Al-Fajr, Al-Midan, Al-Forsan, Sout Al-Omah, Al-Ahali, Al-Mogaz, Al-Arabi Al-Nassery, Al-Gamaheer, Al-Karama, Nahdat Masr, Al-Nahar, Al-Alam Al-Youm, Al-Mawqef Al-Arabi, Al-Mal, Al-Khamis, Al-Ahrar, Al-Wafd and Al Ghad.
“The newspapers’ position is a very good and [this protest] is positive,” Hafez Abu Saeda, director of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), told Daily News Egypt.
Abu Saeda added that this form of protest should not be seen in a negative light, as some believe it to be. “On the contrary, it is positive and has been carried out successfully. [It] will definitely force the government to take action.”
The protest came one week after the postponement of Al-Dostour editor Ibrahim Eissa’s trial, at the request of his lawyers who asked for more time to investigate the nine lawsuits filed against him.
Eissa is accused of publishing wrong information about the president’s health and spreading rumors that threatened foreign investments in Egypt and caused public panic. Eight other lawsuits were filed by lawyers affiliated with the National Democratic Party (NDP) accusing Eissa of “causing them emotional damage” after publishing these rumors.
Two weeks ago, Adel Hammouda, editor of Al-Fajr weekly, Wael Al-Ibrashy, editor of Sout Al-Omah weekly, and Abd Al-Halim Kandil, former editor of Al-Karama newspaper, along with Eissa were all sentenced to a year in prison and a LE 20,000 fine for intentionally insulting President Mubarak, his son and the ruling party.
The chief editor of Al-Wafd newspaper, Anwar Al-Hawari, as well as Mahmoud Galeb, and Amir Salem — two journalists at the same newspaper — also received a two-year jail sentence for misquoting the Minister of Justice.
Al-Badil editor Mohammed Sayyed Said is also facing prosecution for writing about President Hosni Mubarak’s health.