Cairo- September 29th, 2008 - FIDH expresses its deep concern at the final outcome of the case against Ibrahim Essa, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper "Al Dustour" which comes after long trial proceedings that have repeatedly demonstrated severe violations on freedom of expression and restrictions on the free press.
On 28th of September 2008, the Bulaq Misdemeanor Court of Appeal eventually sentenced Ibrahim Essa to two months in prison, a reduction of 4 months from the original sentence issued last March. The opportunity to rescind these oppressive rulings through the Court of Appeal was clearly ignored in favor of reaffirming a restrictive and hostile environment for the press.
Essa was initially indicted by the High State Security Prosecutor’s Office on 5 September 2007 on allegations of "Propagating false news and rumors causing general security disturbance and harming public interest" and "Intentionally publishing false news that may hurt public safety." Those charges were connected to articles published by Essa concerning the health of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak between the 28th- 30th of August, 2007. This violation of freedom of expression was confirmed last March by the Misdemeanor Court which issued a six month sentence.
FIDH considers this latest sentence to be the most serious in a series of blows against free speech orchestrated by the Egyptian authorities, severely hindering journalists’ exercise of their legal rights and protection.
FIDH, which observed Essa’s trial on several occasions, calls for the abolishment of all criminal defamation laws and for their replacement as necessary with appropriate civil defamation laws.