COURT RULING AGAINST NEWSPAPER EDITOR IBRAHIM EISSA

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004021

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC STAFF FOR SINGH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EG
SUBJECT: COURT RULING AGAINST NEWSPAPER EDITOR IBRAHIM EISSA

Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart E. Jones for
reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Ibrahim Eissa, editor-in-chief of the independent
weekly Al Dostour, and Sahar Zaki, a journalist for the same
paper, were each sentenced on June 27 to one year in prison
on charges of "publishing false news, insulting the President
of the state and spreading controversial propaganda offending
public security". According to press contacts, a conviction
for insulting the president is unprecedented in Egyptian
legal history. On April 5, 2006, Al Dostour published an
article (authored by Zaki) concerning a citizen's lawsuit
against President Mubarak, his son, and other senior GOE
officials for allegedly "wasting the country,s resources" by
selling off state assets and squandering foreign aid. Eissa
and Zaki are currently free on bail of 10,000 LE, pending the
results of an appeal.


2. (C) On June 28, the Press Syndicate issued a statement
condemning the sentence and the activation of "dormant
legislation" which provides for charges to be issued for
insulting the Egyptian leadership. Opposition newspapers and
commentators have been critical of the ruling. Al Misry Al
Yom editor Hisham Kassem agreed that there has not been the
same outrage among the press and democracy advocates as has
been generated by other cases. He guessed many journalists
may feel that Eissa may have exceeded the boundaries of
propriety. Other journalists may be jealous that Eissa had
the courage to break new ground in reporting about the first
family. Kassem found these views lamentable and hoped
journalists would rally further in support of Eissa (Note: We
spoke with Kassem prior to the Press Syndicate's statement
being issued. End Note). Democracy advocate Saad Eddin
Ibrahim characterized the verdict as a "mopping up exercise";
"They are going after their critics". He suggested there
might be further prosecutions.


3. (C) COMMENT: Court cases against members of the press are
not a new phenomenon in Egypt, and Egypt,s libel laws are
routinely applied against journalists across the political
spectrum; in 2003, Mustafa Bakry, editor of the reactionary
nationalist (and stridently anti-American) tabloid Al Usbuaa,
was jailed in 2003 for allegedly libeling the Minister of
Agriculture. Currently ongoing, in addition to the suit
against Eissa, is the case of Wael al Ibrashy, editor of the
sensationalist weekly Sawt Al Umma, who published a
"blacklist" of judges allegedly complicit in electoral fraud.
Interestingly, the Eissa verdict comes just as Parliament
considers a new journalism law that would eliminate jail
sentences for journalists convicted for the content of their
reports. It is too early to say whether this will be another
bellwether case for the democracy movement in Egypt. Like
Ayman Nour, Eissa has some unattractive aspects. He is
regarded as a gifted journalist, who colors outside the
lines. We recommend that U.S. statements draw attention to
the severity of the sentence and note the requirement in any
democracy to allow journalists to criticize their government
and its leaders.
RICCIARDONE