{"id":14260,"date":"2025-10-22T16:21:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=14260"},"modified":"2025-10-22T16:21:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:21:14","slug":"media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/media\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt: Developing the Media\u2026 or Developing Tools of Persecution?"},"content":{"rendered":"

While Egyptian media institutions intensify their efforts to draft a roadmap for \u201cdeveloping the media system\u201d in line with presidential directives,<\/a> incidents of journalists being pursued and arrested continue to occur, exposing a stark contradiction between official rhetoric and reality.<\/p>\n

In recent weeks, journalist Safaa El-Korabiji w<\/a>as arrested over social media posts, while Mohamed Taher,<\/a> a journalist at Al-Akhbar Al-Masa\u2019i<\/em>, was detained last Saturday morning before being later released on bail. His arrest followed a complaint filed against him by Ahmed Khamees, Assistant Minister<\/a> of Tourism and Antiquities, under case number 7629\/2025 (Obour Misdemeanor Court). The two incidents have reignited public debate over the boundaries of freedom of expression and the safety of journalism in Egypt\u2014at a moment officially described as one of \u201ccomprehensive media reform.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ministry of Tourism<\/a> and Antiquities, through its official Facebook page, denied submitting any complaints against journalists, asserting that such allegations were \u201cbaseless\u201d and that neither the minister nor the ministry had taken legal action against any journalist. The statement came in response to a declaration issued by the Journalists Syndicate concerning the arrest of Mohamed Taher, which had suggested that the incident followed a complaint made by the minister himself.<\/p>\n

Later, the Syndicate President<\/a> clarified that he received a phone call from Dr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, who affirmed that he had not filed any complaint and that he would submit a grievance to the Syndicate the following day against those who had implicated his name in the report. The minister emphasized his rejection of dealing with journalists through legal complaints. The Syndicate President added that he had conveyed the union\u2019s objection to the way Taher was treated, while the minister maintained that he bore no responsibility for the incident.<\/p>\n

In a related development, on October 13, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of journalist Safaa El-Korbeigi for 15 more days pending investigations. She had been arrested on October 6 and referred to the State Security Prosecution, which charged her with \u201cjoining a terrorist group\u201d and \u201cspreading false news.\u201d According to Eman Aouf, head of both the Freedoms and Women\u2019s Committees at the Journalists Syndicate, El-Korbeigi had previously been imprisoned on the same charges for nearly two years.<\/p>\n

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During the past five months, more than 12 journalists have been interrogated\u2014some by the prosecution, others by different authorities\u2014according to what the head of the Freedoms Committee told Zawia3.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The President Calls for \u201cFreedom of Expression\u201d\u2026 Officials Respond: No Room for Criticism<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n