Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Journalists have called upon the

government and the People’s Assembly to move forward in endorsing legislative reforms necessary

to make President Mubarak fulfill his promise to cancel prison sentences for publication crimes.

They warned that attempting not to fulfill the president’s promise would have negative

consequences for political reform in Egypt.



Galal Arif, the head of the Journalists’

Syndicate, said that since President Mubarak made his promise on February 23, 2004, journalists

have been aware that the change will not go smoothly. This is because they believe the enemies

of freedom and the corrupted will not accept lifting the current restrictions on the freedom of

expression. “We have been aware that the enemies of change and reform will do their utmost to

deprive journalists of this privilege,” Arif explained.



Arif made these statements during

a conference organized by the Syndicate under the title “NO to imprisoning journalists”. The

conference is held in support of Ahmed Ezz Eddin, a journalist, who was sentenced to two years in

prison on charge of libeling Minister of Agriculture Dr. Youssef Wali.