Media freedom in limbo as Egypt begins new transition

The closure of Islamist TV channels in Egypt following the army ouster of president Mohammed Morsi has been slammed by rights groups as an attack on the freedom of expression, while lauded by others as an end to hate speech. At least four channels, including the Muslim Brotherhood’s Misr25 and other Salafist broadcasters, were taken off air on Wednesday, minutes after Defence Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi announced Morsi’s overthrow.

Security forces also raided Al Jazeera offices in Cairo and detained staff of the network’s local channel, Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr. Most of them were released later. The Qatar-based network has been condemned by many observers for its pro-Morsi reporting.

Millions of people who had taken to the streets demanding early presidential elections one year after the Brotherhood-backed Morsi came to power were happy to see the channels that branded Morsi’s opponents as infidels, sinners and hypocrites unable to spread their message.

A state-run printing house also refused to print the brotherhood’s newspaper, Freedom and Justice daily.

Local rights groups called the closures a violation of media freedom and one of its main foundations – the allowance for diversity of opinions. They added that holding those who incited violence was mandatory through transparent legal procedures and called on authorities to respect principles of media freedom “irrespective of the political situation.”

Authorities defend the shutdown as a necessary measure to calm tensions in Egypt.

Many Egyptians were thrilled by the move.

“They channels should be permanently closed, and its anchors prosecuted for inciting all those killings with their hateful words,” said Salma, a 25-year-old accountant, who opposed Morsi.

“Freedom of speech should have a limit, and the limit is attacking others in the name of religion.”

The banned channels were known for their sharp criticism of the liberal and secular opposition, who mobilised the June 30 mass protests demanding Morsi’s removal.

“Others can call it politics, but for us it is religion. It is about Sharia, not about Morsi. We have 1,000 Morsis, because we follow a methodology,” a cleric said as he spoke on the radical, pro-Morsi al-Hafez channel on July 1 – two days before the broadcaster was shut.

He also attacked “some Christians” and said there were “weapons coming out of churches.”

The cleric emphasised the need for Egypt to enforce strict Sharia-based punishments, including cutting off thieves’ hands and executing rapists.

“If a hand of someone whostole the country was cut and hanged in the middle of a square, then all would-be thieves would not steal,” he said.

The media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, said: “Inaugurating a new era … with such an act of censorship is disturbing.”

While there were complaints against these channels, the Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists opposed their shutdown, “because it encourages similar measures in the future,” said Abeer al-Saadi, a board member of the independent union.

“We have to admit a revolution has taken place and a lot of changes are needed in all sectors. We know the level of media now is not up to the required standards. So, it is time to have self-regulations for media,” she told dpa.

Army chief al-Sissi said Wednesday that a new media code of ethics would be adopted as part of the nation’s post-Morsi roadmap to establish “values and ethics for the media to follow.”

While his speech left many concerned about the future of media in Egypt’s transitional period, al-Saadi believes a code of ethics, drafted by the syndicate, can help limit problems such as hate speech, while at the same time protect journalists from criticism by the public or security.

She denies that such a charter will put restrictions on the media, and argues it will end arbitrary measures against journalists, like jail sentences and closing newspapers.

“If we do not want these restrictive law, then we need to put our own rules. It is part of a plan designed to scrap all laws and replace them with new rules so that we can regain the respect of society,” Saadi added.

Journalism professor, Laila Abdel-Meguid, told the independent al-Shorouk newspaper that she was against closure of channels “in principle” but under Egypt’s “unusual circumstances”, some Islamist channels played a role in inciting violence.

“So taking them off air was in the interest of the country,” Abdel-Meguid added.