Press freedom recommendations for President Mubarak's fifth term

In an appeal to President Hosni Mubarak after his presumably successful re-election bid yesterday, Reporters Without Borders today said reforms were essential and urgent in order to give Egypt more press freedom, and it voiced particular concern about the authoritarian and undemocratic measures against journalists of the past few months. “Free expression will not be guaranteed in Egypt as long as journalists continue to be systematically imprisoned,” the organisation said. “This is why the press law must be amended, as you yourself promised in February 2004, in order to decriminalise press offences and assure freedom of expression without discriminating against language, religion or political opinion.” Instead, Reporters Without Borders said it had seen a harsher attitude and behaviour towards the press in Egypt since the start of 2005. “We were shocked to see members of the security forces attacking journalists covering the demonstration held on 25 May by the Kefaya (Enough) opposition movement,” the organisation continued. “There were other intimidation attempts in May and several women journalists were attacked and sexually molested by members of the ruling National Democratic Party. None of these incidents was investigated.” Meanwhile, the authorities have closed down more newspapers than ever, and self-censorship is practiced in all the tolerated newspapers, whether governmental, opposition or independent. “We reiterate our appeal to President Mubarak to undertake the political reforms worthy of a democracy and to comply with the Arab Charter on Human Rights during his fifth term,” Reporters Without Borders concluded.