Egypt’s Supreme Media Council fines Al Masry Al Youm newspaper for breaching constitution, code of ethics

CAIRO – 22 April 2020: The Supreme Media Council has fined private daily newspaper Al Masry Al Youm LE 250,000 over an op-ed penned by founder Salah Diab under the pen name “Newton.”

The column article suggested that Sinai should be assigned a governor with expanded powers to better govern the peninsula.

The council has ordered the paper to remove the piece from its website and issue an official apology.

The newspaper is also required to suspend publishing Newton’s opinion pieces for one month.

The council has also referred the case to the public prosecutor to decide whether further action is warranted against Diab.

The council’s statement further said the newspaper has committed serious violations to the constitution, the law, and the code of ethics, by leading a systematic campaign that spreads discord.

The statement also pointed out that the published articles reflect a lack of patriotism as they came loaded with false information and data; for example, the council cited an article that included misleading information, as it claimed that the number of achievements in Sinai during its occupation between 1967 and 1973 surpassed successive Egyptian governments achievements during its long history.

“Doesn’t the author of the article see how many efforts and accomplishments the state made to develop Sinai, with no efforts spared? Doesn’t he realize that the state is building Sinai and confronting terrorism at the same time, and despite that, the development efforts in Sinai have not stopped?” the statement added.

The campaign, according to the council, presented a negative model for freedom of opinion and expression aimed at demolishing and not construction, which harms the country, does not advance its interests, and negatively affects its cohesion and solidity.