Egyptian Radio and Television Union refuses to sell radio frequencies for fear they will be 'wrongly exploited', will launch case against Al-Jazeera for broadcasting on satellites other than NileSat Shokry Abo-Emara, chairman of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU), said on Saturday that protesters at the sit-in calling for ousted president Mohamed Morsi's reinstatement had tried to launch an illegal radio channel but the ERTU has stopped them. Abo-Emara said the channel was to be named "here is Rabaa," a reference to the massive sit-in staged at Rabaa Al-Adawiya Mosque in Cairo's Nasser City which entered its 15th consecutive day on Saturday. He explained that all frequencies are now broadcasting songs and recitations of the Quran to prevent seizure. “All channels on the FM radio frequency are now loaded after attempts by the protesters in Rabaa Al-Adaweya to illegally seize an FM channel,” Abo-Emara said on Saturday in an interview with Al-Ahram's Arabic language news portal. “By filling all the empty FM channels [with music and Quran] neither Rabaa Al-Adawiya protesters nor anyone else can illegally use them,” Abo-Emara affirmed. Pro-Morsi protesters had announced that they would broadcast their sit-in on FM frequency 100,00. FM radio is owned by the ERTU, according to Abo-Emara, who refused to sell any radio frequency in a recent auction for fear of it being "wrongly exploited." “Legal procedures have been taken against Rabaa Al-Adawiya protesters since 4 July to protect ERTU's rights” Abo-Emara elaborated, saying that the ministries of interior and defense, along with the general prosecutor and Egyptian general intelligence, have been notified. Abo-Emara also stated that Al-Jazeera has been broadcasting through satellites other than NileSat, which is in violation of Egyptian law. Abo-Emara has asked the ERTU's legal counselor to prosecute Al-Jazeera. Rabaa Al-Adawiya protesters have vowed to continue their sit-in until Muslim Brotherhood-backed Morsi is reinstated. On 3 June, Defence minister Abd El-Fattah El-Sisi announced Morsi's removal on national television, following popular nationwide protests demanding Morsi's resignation. Shortly after Morsi's removal, constitutional court head Adly Mansour was sworn in as interim president and a constitutional declaration containing a transitional ‘roadmap' for early presidential elections was issued. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/76402.aspx
