Egyptian journalist call for reforms

Journalists in Egypt call for greater freedom for press Cairo – Amr Waly Journalists and media professors in Egypt have agreed on demands which they said should be included in the country’s new constitution. The request follows recent clashes between demonstrators and security officials, in which three journalists were killed, belonging to Britain’s Sky News, and a Dubai newspaper.
Abeer Saady, Under Secretary of Egypt’s Journalists’ Syndicate, told Arab Today that a, ‘National Council for Media’ needs to be included into the constitution.
She added “It is necessary to formulate a clear and explicit article that prohibits closing down media organisations and imprisonment in relation to publishing offences.”‎
Media professor at Cairo University Dr Farouk Abu Zeid, told Arab Today, that the draft should allow the free circulation of information, regardless of any affiliation.
He said court orders and suspension of publishing rights should be removed, if an article didn’t agree with a ruling government.
One the most important demand he said was for regulations to be put in place on the private owning of news outlets.
Journalist Khaled al Belshy told Arab Today, “All journalists refused the items of 2012 ‎constitution which worked on limiting the freedom of journalism and media”.