The siege of the Media Production City threatens the freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt

 

 

Cairo, 9^th December 2012  

The siege of the Media Production City threatens the freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt

The Arab Center for the Independence of Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its deep concern and dismay over the siege of the Media Production City on Friday 7^th December 2012 and until this moment.

This event is not the first of its kind in which the Media Production City in Egypt is exposed to this kind of practices that constitute a grave threat to the right to freedom of opinion and expression, as the Media Production City witnessed a similar incident on Wednesday 9^th August 2012, in a serious indicator of the widespread of violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

The ACIJLP is concerned that the continuation of such practices, without taking measures and procedures necessary to protect Egyptian journalists, may lead not only to threaten the right of journalists to freedom of opinion and expression, but the threat of their right to physical integrity and the right to life, during the performance of their profession, as well.

The ACIJLP stresses that the phase experienced by the Arab Republic of Egypt requires respect for the Egyptian international commitments and conventions, especially the conventions and commitments related to human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by Egypt on 14th January 1982 and entered into force and published in the Official Gazette on 15th April 1982 in which Article 19, paragraph (2) stated that " Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice".

The ACIJLP also refers to Article II (second paragraph) of the aforementioned Covenant, and which states that " Where not already provided for by existing legislative or other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take the necessary steps, in accordance with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt such laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant."

 

The ACIJLP calls upon the President and the Egyptians Government to take the necessary and urgent measures in order to protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression and circulation of information and to guarantee the right of journalists in the exercise of their profession, without subjecting them to harassment or judicial and administrative prosecutions