In pics: El-Sharq staff demonstrate against Ayman Nour

CAIRO – 16 April 2018: A group of staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel El-Sharq organized a demonstration on Tuesday, April 16 in Istanbul, Turkey against the channel’s owner, Ayman Nour, wondering about the channel’s money.

The demonstrators demanded their financial rights, threatening Nour that this is only their first step against him and the channel, and that there is more to be taken later if he doesn’t consider their demands.


Group of the staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel, El-Sharq, organized a demonstration on Tuesday in Istanbul, against the channel owner Ayman Nour – press photo

This is, however, not the first demonstration against Nour and El-Sharq channel; other sit-ins have been organized before, in which several staff members have participated following the resignation of several workers as a result of Nour’s threats of using his body guards against the channel’s staff members.

On March 6, Nour accused the workers, who tried to organize a sit-in in front of the channel’s headquarters, of attempting to break into the headquarters of the channel.


Group of the staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel, El-Sharq, organized a demonstration on Tuesday in Istanbul, against the channel owner Ayman Nour – press photo

Nour was accused by the channel’s staff and general assembly of “robbing” their financial dues and concealing the channel’s budget.

The channel’s staff created a Facebook page to publicly spread their demands.

The channel’s board of directors issued a statement on Jan. 15 saying the channel’s staff did not demand anything but justice, human dignity and a professional administration that helps smooth the path for opposing the regime.


Group of the staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel, El-Sharq, organized a demonstration on Tuesday in Istanbul, against the channel owner Ayman Nour – press photo


A previous statement issued by the channel’s workers revealed details of scams that the channel’s owner, Ayman Nour, is involved in.

The statement said he purchased rickety devices for the channel while stealing the funding provided by the Muslim Brotherhood and some other foreign organizations.

It further stressed that the channel is not financially incapable; however, it suffers a case of corruption, as about half of what it receives from sponsors and supporters is stolen.



Group of the staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel, El-Sharq, organized a demonstration on Tuesday in Istanbul, against the channel owner Ayman Nour – press photo


The statement also added that the continuous electricity outages, screens going off and air conditioners breaking is not because of a financial crisis, but because the equipment and devices that were purchased are all used and in poor condition.

“We were not lying when we spoke of our colleague who was ordered to clean the channel owner’s apartment, and we were not faking it when we spoke of another one who has been working for four months under claims that he is a ‘trainee’,” the statement said.



Group of the staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel, El-Sharq, organized a demonstration on Tuesday in Istanbul, against the channel owner Ayman Nour – press photo

“We were only saying the truth, and we have proofs of the pressure and terror that is being practiced over young people by those who have no mercy or manners,” it added.

Workers were infuriated when Nour announced that he was establishing a new channel, as they were not receiving their financial dues in the first place, yet Nour evidently had the money to establish a new channel; therefore, the workers decided to create a committee to sue Nour.




Group of the staff members of pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel, El-Sharq, organized a demonstration on Tuesday in Istanbul, against the channel owner Ayman Nour – press photo