Tactics and tools for the protection
of Human Rights Defenders

The Arabic Network for Human Rights expressed complete resentment of the continued imprisonment sentences against journalists and of the huge amounts fined to them. On 2/2/2010, Giza criminal court sentenced Yasser Barakat editor of AlMougaz weekly to a total of one year in prison and a fine of LE 60000 convicted of libel of Mustafa Bakri editor of AlOsboa , weekly.

Chambers 9 and 13 of Giza criminal court issued two successive prison and fine sentences against Yasser Barakat editor of “AlMougaz” weekly . The first was issued by chamber 9 sentencing Barakat to six months and a LE 20,000 fine in an insult and libel case filed by Mustafa Bakri , MP and editor of “AlOsboa” weekly due an article in AlMougaz titled, “Surprise for MPs”, on issue #94 dated 15/1/2008.

The second was issued by chamber 13 sentencing Barakat to six months and a fine of LE 40000 in another libel suit by Bakri because of an article published on issue #98 dated 12/2/2008 titled, " Oh Mighty Lord to thou I confine my weakness”.

Both sentences came in a series of 13 cases filed by Bakri against Barakat in the dispute that took place between them in 2008. Earlier ,Giza criminal court sentenced Barakat to six months and fined him LE 20000 for insult and libel after Barakat had published an article titled "Bakri ,Syrian intelligence and Sawiris"in 27\11\2007, which was considered an insult by the MP.

The journalist union intervened and managed to convince Bakri to drop the case in order that he would not be the reason to put a journalist behind bars, to which Bakri responded and waived the case.

This sentence displays an unhealthy deterioration in the journalistic community showing clearly that journalists are constantly subjected to prison in publishing issues as well as gigantic fine amounts , exposing the alarming incompetence of the journalist union to fulfill its basic duty ;defending journalists and claiming their rights..

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information asserted on the necessity of abolition of all prison penalties against journalists and renewed its call to cancel imprisonment in opinion cases. ANHRI requested to introduce legislative amendments to articles that would lead journalists to prison in all laws related to expression, publishing and printing.

ANHRI added that huge fines in criminal trials are still a sword on journalists’ throats. Soon enough , ANHRI legal aid unit for support of freedom of opinion and expression will submit a cassation appeal to those court decisions as soon as the sentences’ drafts and reasoning are released from court .

Relevant Links
http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2009/pr0625.shtml
http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/2009/pr0214.shtml
http://qadaya.net/taxonomy/term/134

http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/201...