Violations, which affected the freedom of expression

Part I

Journalists and Writers

In this chapter we monitor the situation of freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt with regard to the press, journalists and writers. Year 2007 has seen many cases that violate freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt. These cases can be divided as follows:

First: the trials of journalists.
Second: threats to and arrest of journalists.
Third: defamation of journalists
Fourth: physical abuse and preventing journalists from doing their press work
Fifth: confiscation (books - newspapers)

First: the trials of journalists

• The cause of the four editors:
1. Ibrahim Issa - editor of "Al-Dostour"
2. Wael El Ibrashi - editor of the "Sawt El-Omma"
3. Abdel Halim Qandil - former executive editor of "Al Karama"
4. Adel Hammouda - editor of "Al Fajr"

This case started back on November 30, 2006 when Al Gamaleya Court looked into a case brought by lawyer Ibrahim Abdul Rasul , being a member of the National Democratic Party. He accused the four editors of libeling & defaming the President, the Prime Minister and Secretary of the National Democratic Party Policy Committee. He even accused them of deliberately disseminating false rumors and statements and improper pictures of the figures of the NDP and, thus, harming the reputation of the country abroad!
On December 27, 2006 the Gamaleya Court judged by having no jurisdiction to handle the case & thus, referred it to Agouza Misdemeanor Court, which in turn issued a judgment on September 13, 2007 & the four editors were sentenced a year in jail and a fine of 10 thousand pounds in case No. 1799 / 2007 for each of the editors: Ibrahim Issa (Al-Dostour), Wael El Ibrashi editor of (Sawt El-Omma), Abdel Halim Qandil, former editor of (Al-Karama), Adel Hammouda, editor of (Al-AFajr). The four of them were convicted of charges of abuse to the figures of the ruling National Democratic Party, led by President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, President of the National Party, and his son Gamal Mubarak, Assistant Secretary for Policy in the Democratic Party, in addition to members of the Government of the National Democratic Party.

The four editors appealed before the Appeal Court, and on December 1, 2007 Appellant Court decided defer consideration of the appeal to the hearing on January 26, 2008 and the case is still in circulation.

• the case of " President Mubarak's Health "

5. Ibrahim Issa - editor of the Constitution

On September 5, 2007, based on a complaint made by a lawyer close to the National Party claiming that he was alarmed & frightened, as well as his children and his family as a result of Al-Dostour newspaper's publishing "rumors" on President Hosni Mubarak being sick, as well as the report submitted by the state security officer Mohammed Burgosh, which accused Issa of publishing false news about the health of President Mubarak. Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated Ibrahim Isa and transferred the case to Boulak Court, which held its first session on the first of October 2007 after prosecutors accused him of deliberately publishing and disseminating false news and rumors, which led to damage to the public interest.

At this hearing session, Ibrahim Issa's defense body were surprised to find that Issa was accused in another eight new lawsuits filed against him by a number of lawyers who are members of and close to the NDP in different provinces, which made the defense of Ibrahim Issa asked for the postponement of the session for reviewing the similar cases and their documents and the postponement of the core case No. 195 security of the State which is stirred by the top prosecutor .
What issues remain in circulation.

• the cause of "insulting the President"

6. Ibrahim Issa - editor of AlDostour
7. Sahar Zaki - editor of AlDostour
8. Saeed Abdullah - lawyer

On April 5, 2006 AlDostour newspaper published an article entitled "A citizen of Warraq Al- Arab demands the trial of Mubarak and his family & restoring five hundred billion pounds, the value of public sector and external aid", which was considered by some lawyers from the NDP members and associates from residents of the neighborhood in Warraq, Giza as insults against the President, and an affront to them!

The court judged in a hearing on June 26, 2006 to imprison the three defendants years with force and a fine of ten thousand pounds and 2001 pounds for temporary compensation.

In he appeal hearing, on February 27, 2007, the Criminal Appellant Court of Warraq abolished imprisonment and raised the value of the fine from ten thousand to twenty-two thousand five hundred pounds.

• Al-Wafd lawsuits:
9. Anwar Al Hawwari - chief editor of Al-Wafd
10. Mahmoud Ghalab - Deputy Chief Editor
11. Amir Salem - parliamentary editor

Warraq Court issued in September 24, 2007 ruling of imprisonment against both Anwar Al Hawwari chief editor of Al-Wafd, Mahmoud Ghalab, deputy chief editor, and Amir Salem, Parliamentary editor two years in jail and to ensure 5 thousand pounds each for a moratorium on the imprisonment sentence with penalizing them two hundred pounds & obliging them to pay expenses and attorney's fees.

The story goes back to January 2007 when 11 lawyers belonging to the ruling National Democratic Party filed a lawsuit against these three journalists after Al-Wafd newspaper had published the proceedings of a meeting of the Shura Council's Legislative Committee on January 26, 2007 attended by Judge Mamdouh Marei the Minister of Justice, and they quoted some notes made by the Minister of Justice on the proceedings of lawsuits in courts. These lawyers however considered that the quote represents an affront to the judiciary authority, assuring that those statements had not been issued by the Minister of Justice and what came in Al-Wafd was skeptical about the judiciary.

On December 17, 2007 plaintiffs waivered from the case before Warraq District Court.

12. Anwar Al Hawwari - chief editor of Al-Wafd
13. Younis Darwish correspondent of Al-Wafd in Assiut

Assiut Criminal Court issued on July 21, 2007 a sentence in absentia of imprisonment against the president of Al-Wafd Party, as well as Anwar Al Hawwari chief editor of Al-Wafd newspaper and Younis Darwish correspondent of the newspaper in Assiut to a month in prison in case No. 7844/ 2007 Assiut in, on the backdrop of the news published by Al-Wafd in March 21, 2007 in the context of the newspaper correspondent's coverage of the meeting of the local public council in the village of Riva, Abotij Assiut Governorate and the Council's discussions on a plot of land belonging to the Endowments, which was considered by the plaintiffs as insults and defamation against them.

An opposition appeal against the judgment and the case is still pending.

• sentenced to imprisonment for publishing about corruption:
14. Kamal Abbas - General Coordinator of the Association of Laborer Services and trade unions
15. Mohammed Helmi, lawyer

The Court of Helwan on October 1, 2007 issued a sentence of imprisonment against Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the Association of services for trade unions and labor & lawyer, Mohamed Helmi to one year in jail in case No. 269 of 2007.

Mohamed Mustafa, National Party candidate in the previous parliamentary elections had filed a libel and defamation lawsuit against them because they were publishing articles against him in a non-periodical entitled " Labor talk " issued by the association
Abbas & Helmi in these articles monitored the Proceedings of administrative and financial irregularities attributed to the period Mohammed Mustafa spent as a Chairman of the of the Youth Center in May 15 city. They proceeded the case to the Appeal Court in circulation until today.

16. Shahenda Muqalled, writer and political activist.
17. Shirin Aboulnaga - writer and university professor
18. Mohamed Hashem - owner of Merritt Publishing House

The Nasr City Court on July 9, 2007 in case No. 46739 of the 2006 issued a sentence of imprisonment against Shahenda Muqallad six to months in jail suspended and fined ten thousand pounds and acquitted both Mohammad Hashim, owner of Merritt Publishing House and Shirin Aboulnaga - writer, because of the book the three published under the title "From Shahenda Muqallad papers. "

The book addressed part of the history of Shahenda Muqallad to resist feudalism and its crimes in Kimsheech village. A family dealt with in the book, which is Al-Fiqi family considered this as libel & defamation against them. Shahenda appealed before the Appeal Court & the lawsuit still in circulation.

• C riminal proceedings because of articles criticizing a minister:
19. Mohamed Sayed Saad - chairman of the newspaper Helwan today

On the first of June 2007 Dr. Sayed. Mashaal the Military Production Minister and member of the People's Chamber of Helwan, Cairo made a communiqué against Mohamed Sayed Saad, board chairman of the newspaper (Helwan today) for publishing 2 critical articles under the title "the minister wasted public money by distributing factories products on his friends, Sayed Mashaal is the worst parliamentarian in the history of Helwan. "
Articles dealt with Mashaal's destributing "stoves" from the products of the Ministry of Military Production, for all members of the Parliamsnt which is a waste of public money.
On July 20, 2007 Saad was investigated in the Office of the Prosecutor General before the Chief Appeal Prosecutor & the case was referred to criminal court and the case is still in circulation.

• Al-Mawgaz newspaper lawsuits
20. Yasser Barakat - chief editor and board chairman of the Al-Mawgaz.
21. Said Zeinhom
22. Tariq Shaltout
23. Amer Mahmoud
24. Ibrahim Gaballah – journalists in Al-Mawgaz newspaper

Dr. Ayman Nour filed a libel & defamation lawsuit (No. 9846 of the 2005, Cairo, criminal) against the chief editor of Al Mawgaz together with 4 journalists accusing them of libel & defamation during the presidential elections and during his trial in the case of forgery of Al-Ghad party delegations, because of what was published in the newspaper outlined in the issue of March 20, 2005 under the title " Ayman Nour's moments on his bed of pleasure" and another news under the title "for the first time, the unknown history of the family of Ayman Nour in Mansoura", " American recipe for making a champion of paper" and Ayman Nour sued these journalists to trial because of the material and moral damage they caused him. The court had ruled on March 9, 2006 dismissal of the civil part of the case & obliging Nour to pay 2000 pounds as law fees. It has been taken to the Appeal Court & the case is still in circulation.

• Sawt El-Omma, detention or imprisonment!!
25. Wael El Ibrashi - chief editor of the newspaper "Sawt El-Omma"
26. Ahmed Abul Khair - journalist

Sawt Al-Umma newspaper published a news in issue No. 345 on July 16, 2007 under the title: "fierce war between Ahmed Ezz & Sawirus to control the ground of Imbaba airport."

Naguib Sawiris filed a LAWSUIT No. 19216 / 2007 against Wael El Ibrashi chief editor and journalist Ahmed Abul Khair accusing them of libel & defamation, and the case is now in circulation.

27. Wael El Ibrashi - chief editor of Sawt el-Omma
28. Essam Ismail Fahmy - board chairman of Sawt el-Omma
29. Hana Moussa
30. Reda Awad
31. Manal Abdel-Latif "journalists gazette"

On September 26, 2007 Agouza Court issued a judgment to imprison both Essam Ismail Fahmy, board chairman of Sawt Al-Umma newspaper, Wael El Ibrashi chief editor and three journalists to two months in jail and 100 pounds for a bail because of their "disseminating News about businessman Ali Mohamed Ibrahim, which was deemed defamatory and libeling.

The journalists appealed for a higher court and the case is now pending before the Court.

• Al-Badil and the "President's health" once again

32. Mohamed Sayed Said - editor of "Al-Badil"

In September 2007, against the backdrop of an article published in the Journal of "Al-Badil" on rumors about "the health of the President" lawyer Samir al Sheshtawy provided a communiqué against Al-Badil newspaper and its chief editor Mohammed Sayed Said, accusing the newspaper of misinforming public opinion, publishing rumors about the health of the President. The case is pending in courts in the time being.

Samir al Sheshtawy the lawyer had filed a case of libel & defamation to Abdeen Criminal Court against Muhammad Sayed Saeed, following publishing an editorial in the Journal of Al-Badil, issue on September 5, 2007 addressed by Mohamed Sayed Saeed of the case built against Hassan Ibrahim Issa.

• Customary Ruling to cut a journalist's tongue

33. Amer Suleiman - Chief of incidents department at Al Ahrar newspaper

Consistent with the sentences of imprisonment issued by the courts against journalists, customary Judicial Court ruled in Sinai, composed of three judges, representing 3 neutral tribes during the month of September 2007, these courts are not subject to appeal against them. "Amer Suleiman" chief of incidents department at Al-Ahrar newspaper. This case was considered by one of the tribes as libel and defamation case against the tribe of Turabeyen , so the journalist was sentenced to paying a substantial amount of money and cutting a small part of his tongue! The latter sentence was replaced by forcing him to pay about 1.2 million pounds (if the tribes didn't decide to pardon him after forcing him to apologize!)

• Nasser and Sadat!

34. Mrs. Hoda Abdel-Nasser

On the background of a dialogue with Mrs. Hoda Abdel-Nasser - the daughter of late President Gamal Abdel Nasser - she described the former president Anwar Sadat as "an agent of the United States", So, Mrs. Rokaya Sadat, the daughter of late President Sadat filed a lawsuit before Qasr el-Nile Court accuses her of libeling & defaming her father in 2005 , the court ruled then not to accept criminal and civil proceedings, making Ms. Rokaya resume bringing the case once again before Boulak Abu Ula court, accusing Hoda Nasser with the same charges.
 
The Court issued its sentence in February 2007 that there was no jurisdiction over the civil action and forwarded the whole case to the competent civil court and the court said in its sentence grounds that the Penal Code only mean protecting the living without throwing the dead as defaming the dead is punishable only if it exceeded the dead & included relatives or heirs who are living.

• penalties on those who publish on torture
35. Howayda Taha

Howayda Taha Mitwalli is a program designer in al- Jazeera channel, as she was preparing for the work of a documentary film on torture and other ill-treatment by police officers in Egypt & while she was leaving the airport in Cairo on January 8, 2007 was arrested by airport authorities who confiscated about 50 videos that were in her luggage as well as confiscating her laptop. State security prosecution in the January 13 accused her of initiating an activity intended to harm national interests of the country through broadcasting & publishing false internal conditions that would weaken confidence in the State.

The State Security Court issued its decision to release Howayda Taha on Sunday January 14 after a bail amount of ten thousand pounds ($ 2800) was paid.

On May 2, 2007, one day before the world celebration of World Press Freedom Day, a court issued its sentence, following an unfair trial where all requests of the defense were rejected, to six months in prison on charges of "direct activity that would harm national interests of the country, the production and possession of fabricated videotapes for the purpose of broadcast that would offend to the reputation of the country."

The defense appealed before the Appeal Court & the case is now pending in courts.


• Lawsuits of libel and defamation against the editor of "Al-Ahrar"

36. Salah Qabadaya - board chairman of Al-Ahrar, chief editor

On February 28, 2007 Qabadaya the editor-in-chief of Al-Ahrar and Chairman of the Board was sentenced to a fine of an amount of five thousand pounds in compensation for libel & defamation lawsuit No. 2389 / 2006 on the backdrop of an article published entitled "the first issue of extortion on the Internet," which was considered by the complainant (Mohamed Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Shamoti) as libeling & defamation against him. The case was referred to the appeal court & is still in circulation.

Also, Ahmed Ibrahim Eid filed a libel & defamation lawsuit against deputy board chairman of Al-Ahrar, chief editor Salah Qabadaya before Misdemeanor Court No. 28168 / 2006 & was forwarded to the Felony Criminal Court which didn't determine a certain appointment for its hearing so far.

On November 21, 2007 chief editor of Al-Ahrar, the board chairman, Professor Salah Qabadaya was sentenced to a fine of 20 thousand pounds in absentia in a libel & defamation lawsuit brought by the Dean of the Graduate Institute of Social Service on publishing an article in Al-Ahrar on March 23, 2007 p. 3 entitled "documented irregularities of Aswan's Institute for social service ". The sentence has been opposed by the defendant and the case is still in circulation.

37. Salah Qabadaya - chief editor of Al-Ahrar
38. Hani Laundries - a journalist of Al-Ahrar
39. Atef Farouk - the Free Press newspaper

The lawsuit brought by the first secretary of the Ministry of Education against the journalists of Al-Ahrar handled in the courts has not been resolved yet. That was the case which has been filed on the background of a press campaign by Al-Ahrar against corruption in the Ministry of Education.

The first secretary of the Ministry of Education misdemeanour direct insults and threw restricted number 3646 and in 2005 to cover Kobba against journalists publishers of the news, and denied what it said and that it is not unfounded to the Court Kobba, and the case is still in circulation.

• "Hesba" lawsuits are back against outspoken writings

40. Nawal Saadawi - writer and feminist activist

The year 2007 witnessed a strong reappearance of the phenomenon of "Hesba" lawsuits where extremists make themselves accountable for the whole society. Two "hesba" lawsuits were filed against Nawal Saadawi because of her play entitled "When the god resigns in the summit". The first Hesba lawsuit was filed by a lawyer called Samir Sabri before the administrative court (case no. 18544) where he was requesting to prevent Nawal Saadawi from entering the country and put her name on the lists of the travel ban and the case is still in circulation.

The second, filed by lawyer "Nabih Al Wahsh" accusing her of infidelity and apostasy, and it was surprising that the public prosecutor has already communiqué provided by Al Wahsh in a clear retreat from rejecting claims & lawsuits of "hisbah", cases are still in circulation. These cases may be the reason for Dr. Nawal Saadawi to remain staying out of the country at the time of preparation of this report.

• A writer threatened to sell his furniture!

41. Ahmed Abdel Muti Hijazi, a writer and poet.

The properties & furniture of the poet & writer (Ahmed Abdel Muti Hijazi) were held under custody on August 8, 2007 according to record No. 456 / 2007 in Case No. 2770 / 2003 in favor of Yusuf Badri where South Cairo Court issued its sentence in November 2004 that an amount of twenty thousand pounds would be given in compensation. This sentence was reaffirmed in November 2006 under the sentence of the Supreme Court on the background of an article published in the magazine "Rose Al-Youssef entitled: "read in the book of Makram Mohamed Ahmed - the separation of religion and politics is difficult and mixing them is even harder" issue No. 3888 on Saturday, December 14, 2002.

• Good officer Sharif & evil officer!

42. Brigadier Mahmoud Koutry - lawyer, former police officer

Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Interior filed the case No. 512 /2006 against Brigadier Mahmoud Koutry accusing him of libel & defamation on the background of his writing & publishing 2 books; "Confessions of a police officer in the city of wolves" in 2003 & "Forging of a state" in 2004 in which he recorded his memoirs about his tenure in the Ministry of the Interior, through which he also pointed to his view on the methods of breeding police men and thus, criticized it as it would lead to creating security guards trained in the practice of acts of violence against citizens even committing the crime of torture, and in these 2 books, he recorded his testimony on the methods of security management of the election process in addition to that he participated in a symposium at the Press Syndicate, in which he talked about the role of the Interior Ministry in forging the elections taking place in Egypt.

Koutry is facing many incomprehensible causes, which is the political nature and which are still in circulation before the courts on the time of preparation of the report.

• Al-Nabaa newspaper lawsuits

43. Hatem Mahmoud Mehran - chief editor of Al-Nabaa

The Dokki Court on November 27, 2007 issue a sentence of imprisonment against Hatem Mahmoud Mehran chief editor of Al-Nabaa to a year in jail and a fine of 20 thousand pounds and paying a bail of 5 thousand pounds on the charge of libel & defamation against actress Hala Sidqi, having published a picture of her on the first page of the newspaper in January 2007 and the headline was saying " story of a scandalous return of Hala Sidqi" and another title saying: "the sexy pose of Hala Sidqi in her latest movie"

• Charges of defamation on publishing about potental corruption

44. Hatem Mahmoud Mehran - chief editor of Al-Nabaa

On the background of a news published on September 15, 2007 in Al-Nabaa newspaper, claiming that Kamal El-Shazly possesses a company trafficking in cellular phones prepaid cards and that he has achieved profits and gains estimated at 700 million pounds in some illegal ways. Kamal El- Shazli provided a communiqué on September 17, 2007 before Dokki Prosecution office against Al-Nabaa daily paper accusing them of defamation and libeling against him.

Second: the threats to and arresting of journalists

• Detention of a journalist for covering a cases of torture
45. Mohammed Taher - correspondent for Al-Badeel newspaper

Prosecution office in Mansoura decided on August 21, 2007 detaining Mohamed Tahir correspondent of Al-Badeel newspaper for 15 days pending investigation on charges of distributing leaflets that would stimulate public opinion on cases of torture and killings in the villages of Talbanah and Shaha on the background of his coverage of the case of child Mohammed Mamdouh Abdel Rahman, from the village of Shaha who died from torture to which he was subject. Taher was then released on 27, 2007.

Third: Discrediting & Defaming Journalists

• Discrediting a journalist in the grounds of a court ruling against him
46. Mahmoud Askalani – a journalist Al Arabi newspaper

In an unprecedented incident, Mahmoud Askalani, a journalist in Al Arabi newspaper provided a communiqué to the prosecution office of the Cairo Appeals Counsel against Gamal Eddin Safwat who is the head of Cairo Criminal Court accusing him of libel & defamation in the grounds of his judicial sentence against him in a case of defamation.

The judge ruled the reasons for conviction in the case of defamation filed by the former Minister of Housing Mohammed Ibrahim Suleiman against journalist Mahmoud Askalani & among these grounds came some phrases describing the journalist as being like "Bats of darkness and that he is disseminating toxins of hatred" against the man of great achievements " the Minister of Housing!

• Accusation of treason to a human rights activist

47. Saad Eddin Ibrahim

Saad Eddin Ibrahim, made a statement to Al-Dostour newspaper about his meeting with President Bush, with whom he met on the sidelines of the Prague conference (13/6/2007), and that he asked Bush to put an end to support for the Arab tyrants in Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and that he should not support the Inheritance of the rule in Egypt. As a result of this statement, many persons closely related to the Egyptian government filed several lawsuits against him accusing him of treason and demanding taking away the Egyptian nationality from him.

Fourth: The assault on journalists and disability to perform their work

• Attacks , insults and the prevention of coverage

48. Hisham Lotfi - Al Arabi newspaper
49. Ghada Abdel-Hafiz – Al-Masri Al-Yom newspaper

On August 2, 2007 both Hisham Lotfi journalist in Al Arabi newspaper & Ghada Abdel-Hafiz Saleh from Al-Masri Al-Yom were assaulted, during the coverage of the events of the police assault on the people following the death of the victim of torture in «Talbanah», where reports said that he died of excessive torture at the hands of an officer status Police Mansoura.

50. Said Faraj – Journalist in "Al-Ahrar" newspaper & Secretary of "Al-Ahrar" Party in Al Zawya Al Hamra

Journalist Faraj Said was assaulted when a police force raided on his office and arrested him for the implementation of a default judgment – by mistake - against a person carrying the same name. All his attempts to convince them that he was not the person sought failed, they were mad at him and even insulted him and continued to assault him. It should be noted that on March 26, 2007 was the trial of police officers and secret informants of the police force accused of the excessive use of force and beating them before the court of the Al Zawia AlHamra. After showing sincerity of the journalist and that he is not the person sought.

51. Ahmed Badr – journalist in Al-dostour newspaper

On the evening of Wednesday, July 4, 2007 journalist Ahmad Badr from Al Dostour was assaulted by members of the police, which coincides with the return of the journalist from his working place when the American ambassador and others were in the Palace of Muhammad Ali, the police individuals were pushing him even to the police station of the bus stop & while he was talking with the officer, a police officer insulted him with offensive words, even slapped him on the face. Badr has declared his identity, as a journalist, and one of the officers, however, cursed the journalist saying that press is "under our shoes"!

52. Mahmoud Al-Minshawi - correspondent of Al-Masri Al-Yom

On September 2, 2007 "Mahmoud Al-Minshawi " the correspondent of Al Masri Al Yom in Menoufiya - who is a teacher at "Al Masa'i Al-Mashkoora" School was arrested by the security guards of the Directorate of Education while he was there to monitor preparations for the reception of the month of Ramadan. Security men escorted him to the office of the undersecretary of the ministry, who received him with insults, & even with a slap on the face. Security men also kidnapped the journalist's bag & papers, and made a number of injuries to him. Al Minshawi made an official police record for the incident, & thus he received open threats from the Undersecretary to transfer him to another far district unless dropping the record.

53. Photographers prevent journalists from entering the parliament and the follow-up meetings

Fathi Sorour the chairman of the parliament in the beginning of February 2007 issuing a decision to prevent photographers from entering the People's Council and from the follow-up of the sessions after a Amr Abdullah (photographer of Al Masry Al Yom), took a picture of Dr. Nazif (The prime minister) while engaged in eating salted seeds and peanuts while the parliamentarians were discussing the government statement!

The Council later retreated from this resolution after the protest of journalists and photographers on the matter.

• Case "Imad Al-Galda": an assault on the court and shattering photographers cameras
54. Khaled Jamal – AlAkhbar photographer
55. Jamal Nihad Mohammed - Cameraman al-Mehwar channel
56. Issam Ibrahim – photographer of Al Gomhouria newspaper
57. Samir Sadek - photographer of Al-Masry Al-Yom
58. Sami Ahmed Kotb - Egyptian television cameraman

While the court was consideringthe lawsuit of "Imad Al-Galda" a member of the People's Council on May 29, 2007 at the Criminal Court of Cairo, and after sentencing imprisonment against the MP, cited , his supporters attacked the court and broke the seats thereof. They also attacked journalists, photographers and damaged their cameras

Fifth: the confiscation of newspapers & books

Security Services and Research Assembly at Al-Azhar, are the real enemies of speech in Egypt. Confiscation without judicial decision is a common practice for them all!

Regardless of the content, form and disregard the law, whatever it is opposed to such control, it is there, strong & controlling.

The year 2007 has seen many cases of confiscation, including:

* "Al-Mashaheer" Newspaper being confiscated in the month of August.
* "Ibda'a" Magazine, " its first issue was confiscated after the a stop for four years ". It was confiscated because it has published a poem by the poet Helmi Salem entitled "The Balcony of Laila Murad" which has infuriated some people and thus the General Authority for Book withdrew it from the market before distribution.
* A book entitled "The Oppressed", which discusses the situation of Copts in Egypt, and is prepared by the Middle East Christians Association & the copies of such a book were found in the house of Dr. Adel Fawzi when SSI raided his home and arrested him in August.
* The book "My trip with the Shiites and the Shiite doctrines in Egypt,". The Research Assembly of Al-Azhar in Egypt on October 20 requested to confiscate the book "My trip with the Shiites and the Shiite docrtrines in Egypt," by the Egyptian writer Ahmed Rasim Nafees and prevented it from being distributed as it is adopting a point of view contrary to the doctrine of the Sunni Islam. This is the third book for the same author requested to be prevented by Al-Azhar.
* The book, "The truth is lost - my trip to the household of the Prophet". Al-Azhar refused the book as it promotes the Shiite doctrine . The book is prepared by Sheikh Ahmed Sayed Mutasim & printed in Beirut
* The book "the god submits his resignation at the summit". The publisher (Madbouly Library) withdrew the book "the god submits his resignation at the summit" by the writer Nawal Saadawi from the markets after objecting to the idea that the writer embodies God the divine prophets and the angels and the devil in body personalities in the form of roles on the stage, and thus, the book was absent from the Book Fair in Cairo International Book in January 2007, but few copies of which reached some newspapers. A report on the book was prepared by the Islamic Research Assembly, the report stressed her defaming the divine and the holy angels and all religions. Saadawi expressed her anger of this action and accused the intellectuals and artists as traitors, through their implied agreeing to the confiscation of creativity. Saadawi then left to Brussels and there she escaped from the accusations of judicial and religious accuses atheism and defaming the divine self.