The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
PRESS
RELEASE
Confiscation of first two issues of Alf Lela newspaper |
Wednesday 19 August 1998
THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE DEFENSE OF FREEDOM OF OPINION AND EXPRESSION The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) is seriously concerned about the news of the confiscation of the first and second issues of Alf Lela newspaper and its banning form entering Egypt. Alf Lela is an art newspaper licensed in Cyprus and is among foreign publications subjected to the Censorship Department at the Ministry of Information. The EOHR has learnt that the reason given for the confiscation of the first issue of 12 August 1998 was that it included political articles, a reason which was described by Ibrahim Eissa, the paper's editor-in-chief, to be invalid. He said that the paper only commented on a movie on Gamal Abdel Nasser, which is on now at many cinemas. He added that the issue also included a story that the late president Anwar Al-Sadat watched a film in a special performance, and that this is not among prohibited subjects! The second issue of 19 August 1998 was confiscated without giving reasons! It must be noted that the staff working in Alf Lela is the same staff worked for Al-Dostour newspaper, whose license to be printed and distributed in Egypt was cancelled by the head of the Censorship Department of the Ministry of Information on 26 February 1998. The cancellation was made by a verbal decision which made it impossible for Al-Dostour to file an administrative challenge. It was associated with the dissatisfaction of some officials and businessmen with an article it issued on 25 February 1998 entitled "Terrorist groups threat to kill the most important three businessmen in Egypt." The article was viewed as provoking sectarian strife in Egypt. The EOHR strongly condemns the confiscation of Alf Lela, and believes it to be an attack on the freedom of the press, and a violation of the freedom of opinion and expression. It calls on the Press Syndicate and all civil society institutions to combine efforts to confront the continuos attacks on the freedom of the press. It also appeals to the competent authorities to reconsider this decision, and to guarantee the freedom of thought and expression, and the freedom to receive and impart information stated in the Constitution and international human rights standards ratified by Egypt.
