LE 250K penalty for violating code of media honor

CAIRO - 29 September 2019: The Supreme Council for Media Regulation set on Sept. 29 a penalty of LE 250,000 for journalists and media workers who violate the code of media honor.

Article 23 of the Executive Regulation stipulates that violating the Code of Professional Press and Media Honor or the standards approved by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation or incitingthe commitment of a criminal offense requires the imposition of one of the following penalties:Drawing attention, warning, a fine not exceeding LE 250,500or the equivalent in foreign currency.

The penalties included banning publishing or broadcasting the infringing material for a specified period, blocking the website for a specified period or permanently, and blocking the personal website if followedby more than 5,000 followers.

Egypt has proposed various practical measures and anti-cybercrime laws aiming to curb premeditated fake information and face the widespread fake news that threatens national security and the interests of the state.

On March 14, 2018, the Egyptian Parliament’s Telecommunications and Information Technology Committee came out with new amendments to the government’s anti-cybercrime law.

The amendments include setting a six-month imprisonment and a fine not less than LE 100,000 ($5,670) and not more than LE 500,000 for anyone found to be deliberately tinkering with an internet connection.

In mid-February, 2018, the Cabinet referred a draft anti-cybercrime law to Parliament for discussion, which included posing surveillance on social media and limiting the spread of fake news, particularly news inciting violence.

The long-awaited draft law was sent to Parliament to be discussed, as the law has an indispensable role in dealing with the rumors that are not easily monitored on social media.

First introduced before Parliament in May 2016, the 33-article draft law was proposed to criminalize illegal electronic practices, such as electronic fraud and encouraging terrorist practices; however, activists and rights defenders perceive the penalties stipulated by the law as very harsh and as a restriction of the freedom of expression, according to various news outlets.

The punishments in the draft law range from a month in prison to the death penalty should, in the latter case, the cybercrime result in the death of someone or be considered a threat to national security. The law also stipulates other penalties, such as blocking sites and canceling their licenses according to court judgments.

Additionally, the Supreme Council for the Administration of the Media will be regulating social media accounts and blogs, which have been officially categorized as “media outlets” in Egypt.It will have the authority to block websites and file criminal complaints against any account that is "inciting people to violate laws" and that is spreading "defamation against individuals and religions."