Emergent pattern on treatment of Journalists

Two more journalists summoned by military court
Published on Monday 6 June 2011.
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Hossam Al-Suwaifi, a reporter for the newspaper Al-Wafd, and Sayyid Abdel Ati, the editor of the newspaper’s weekly edition, were questioned by the military prosecutor’s office on 3 June about a 26 May article referring to a possible pact between the armed forces and the Muslim Brotherhood.

They are the latest in a series of journalists to be summoned for interrogation by military prosecutors. Reporters Without Borders wrote to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on 1 June voicing concern that such interrogations were becoming increasingly systematic (see below).

3.06.2011 – Military rulers urged to allow freedom of expression

Reporters Without Borders called today on Egypt’s military regime to stop the “threats, arrests, interrogations and physical violence” it said the country’s journalists and bloggers had been subjected to in the months since the revolution that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak.

The organisation said it feared that a media forum the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has convened on 5 June with the main political groupings and leading media figures taking part, would be used by the army to “dodge criticism of recent abuses for which it is heavily responsible.” It called on the Council to listen to the demands at the forum for media freedom and show new respect for the work of journalists. The Council says civil society organisations can submit their demands by fax. …source