{"id":39065,"date":"2024-12-02T15:24:51","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T13:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/afteegypt.org\/?p=39065"},"modified":"2024-12-02T15:25:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T13:25:20","slug":"human-rights-organizations-and-journalists-reaffirm-the-need-to-defend-press-and-media-freedom-in-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/afteegypt.org\/en\/advocacy-en\/joint-statements-en\/2024\/12\/02\/39065-afteegypt.html","title":{"rendered":"Human Rights Organizations and journalists reaffirm the need to defend Press and Media freedom in Egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"

26 Nov 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Following a series of consultations with Egyptian media organizations and journalists on the Press and Media freedom situation in Egypt, and in light of the recent violations of freedom of expression, including the latest Supreme Council for Media\u2019s decision to arbitrarily reject journalist <\/span>Faker Tany\u2019s website registration<\/span><\/a>, and earlier prosecution and enforced disappearance of journalists Khaled Mamdouh and Ashraf Omar, the undersigned organizations and journalists emphasize the importance of to protecting freedom of expression in Egypt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These incidents are just the latest examples of a stifling system in Egypt designed to repress opposing voices, which has been refined over the past ten years. Over ten years after Sisi\u2019s takeover of power, the media landscape in Egypt has been steadily deteriorating. Freedom of expression and press freedom continue to be almost nonexistent in the country as government-affiliated entities and individuals control the vast majority of television channels, news websites, newspapers, and advertisement agencies and reshape their editorial policies to serve the ruling regime.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Egypt<\/span> ranked 170\/180<\/span><\/a> in the 2024<\/span> World Press Freedom Index<\/span><\/a> of Reporters Without Borders and, based on the findings of the annual report of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) on<\/span> violations against press and media in Egypt in 2023<\/span><\/a>, journalists, photographers, bloggers, and other media personnel continue to be subject to smear campaigns, police raids, and are routinely arrested, arbitrarily detained and\/or jailed under due to the misuse of penal code, anti-terroism law\u00a0 cyber crimes law and other freedom of expression restricting legislations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Independent media outlets like Mada Masr and Al-Manassa are frequently subjected to censorship. Hundreds of websites, including major independent news portals and prominent human rights sites, remain blocked and face legal and security persecution. Additionally, there are numerous restrictions on the freedom of information flow, access to sources, and reaching the local audience. This impacts not only local journalists but also those working in exile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Sisi\u2019s attempts to convince international partners of Egypt\u2019s democratization are gaining him more support, with the most notable being the European Union through its proposal for a Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership with Egypt, valued at 7.4 billion dollars, followed by the United States\u2019 decision to release the full amount of its military and financial aid to Egypt. However, despite the launch of Egypt\u2019s National Human Rights Strategy and National Dialogue three years ago without consultations with independent CSOs, there has been little to no progress in advancing human rights. This lack of progress was noted by the European Parliament in its<\/span> resolution of 24 November 2022<\/span><\/a>, concerning the human rights situation in Egypt.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this extremely challenging context, independent media and bloggers have continued to be on the front line, putting their lives and freedoms at risk to preserve a pluralism of voices and contrast state-fabricated narratives.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, we urge\u00a0 international policymakers, including EU Institutions and member states, to maintain pressure on the Egyptian regime to:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n