CAIRO, 14 September 2007 — An Egyptian court sentenced four outspoken newspaper editors to one year in prison with labor yesterday for defaming President Hosni Mubarak and his politician son, drawing swift condemnation from human rights groups. The verdict marks an escalation of what analysts describe as a campaign by the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) against independent newspapers, which have reported that Mubarak was grooming his son Gamal to succeed him. Both father and son deny that.
The court also ordered Ibrahim Issa, Adel Hammouda, Wael El-Ebrashi and Abdel-Halim Qandil to pay fines of 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($3,540) each. The court said they could stay free pending appeal on bail of 10,000 pounds each. “This is a death announcement for the freedom of press in Egypt,” Issa, editor of the Al-Dustour daily, told Reuters.
While the Egyptian press have enjoyed more freedom in the last two years, human rights groups say criticizing the 79-year-old president or his family is a risky venture.
Two NDP members filed the lawsuit in January against the editors, who are known for their attacks against Mubarak and Gamal, a leading ruling party official. The four were also convicted for defaming Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Interior Minister Habib El-Adli.
The court said the editors had inflicted through their writings “direct damage” on the plaintiffs because “the assault on the ruling party and its figures could denigrate its status in the eyes of the community.” Qandil, editor of the Al-Karama weekly newspaper, said the “severe” verdict would not weaken him.
