Foreign media coverage of election 'positive, objective': SIS

CAIRO – 27 March 2018: Foreign media such as CNN and BBC have published positive reports about the presidential election, and no trespasses have been observed so far from the foreign coverage, except for the coverage of both Al-Jazeera channel and Turkish channels, according to Mohammed Imam, head of the State Information Service’s (SIS) operations room.

Through its operations rooms, SIS continues to communicate with foreign correspondents, who have been following the election process since voting started on Monday, March 26.

Imam mentioned that the long queues before the polling stations forced foreign media to be neutral while covering the election, and he called for more people to go to the polls and practice their right to vote.

He further remarked that SIS responds to any foreign reports publishing false information about the election.

Mohammed Alam El-Din, member of the National Press Authority, said that the high turnout in the presidential election foiled all attempts of foreign media to spread rumors about Egypt.

Alam El-Din remarked that some foreign media channels have claimed that Egyptians will not participate in the presidential election; however, the high turnout reflects the reality.

He praised the transparency under which the election is being conducted, adding that Egyptians choose stability and development.

On the first day of the election, the foreign correspondents’ media coverage did not report any complaints.

“During the period extending from 6 p.m. until polls close at 9 p.m. in a number of governorates, staff of the SIS operations room communicated with the representatives of 72 media outlets, out of which 50 are accredited resident correspondents, and no complaints have been received," the SIS statement read.

On the other hand, SIS Chairman Diaa Rashwan received a number of resident and visiting correspondents who were unable to get permits to cover the election.

"Most foreign media outlets asserted that the turnout will be the barometer of success of the process and the winning president, not the percentage that the winner will get," said the SIS report.

“Henceforth, instant contacts have been made with the National Elections Authority and permits were issued to 16 correspondents," read the statement.

The statement added that the SIS operations room works around the clock and keeps all channels of communication open with all resident and visiting correspondents, with the aim of solving any problems that may encounter.

SIS contacted 110 foreign media outlets on the first day of the voting process. The operations room received 19 complaints and inquiries from correspondents regarding their entrance to polling stations, and it solved them all, according to the statement.

The total number of foreign reporters registered to cover the election in Egypt is 680, including both resident and visiting correspondents. SIS allocated a hotline (16149) to receive complaints from foreign reporters.

About 60,000 journalists are working in Egypt, but not all of them are registered at the Journalism Syndicate as credible members.