During the tenure of former Press Syndicate head Diaa Rashwan, the country's professional press organisation was criticised by many journalists over what they said was its failure to defend the profession's freedom and journalists' rights. Such factors seemingly played a role in Rashwan's failure to win a second term as head of the Syndicate in the recent elections. Rashwan is a political analyst and head of the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. The victory of Yehia Qallash as the new head of the syndicate has been interpreted by many as an indication of journalists' desire for change. How does Qallash see his win and its implications? “It indicates that journalists are fed up with the deteriorating conditions in their profession. However, the results of the elections shouldn't be read in personal terms, since this would be a wrong diagnosis,” he said. In the ballot held in Cairo and Alexandria on Friday, Qallash received 1,948 votes while his rival Rashwan received 1,079. Six candidates were competing for the post. According to the head of the judicial committee that supervised the elections, 3,225 registered members of the syndicate participated in the elections. Prior to his election, Qallash said that one of the most pressing issues was to “restore confidence in the syndicate.” Asked how this might happen, he said, “Confidence is not a swift feeling, but it will come after a period in which the syndicate is eager to defend its members and their rights and freedoms.” He continued, “The syndicate is now in resuscitation. It's time for the syndicate not to be just a means to professional advancement.” Asked about the consequences of the syndicate's poor record, Qallash said, “Almost all the younger generation of journalists has a negative perception of the syndicate. It doesn't represent anything for them. And from the syndicate's side, some mechanisms were adopted that have led to a reluctance by journalists to get involved in syndicate work. “As a result, the younger generation of journalists has preferred to interact in youth bodies outside the syndicate due to their lack of confidence in it.” During the electoral campaign, Qallash staked his appeal on the younger generation and its participation in the elections. “Part of my desire to end the deterioration in the syndicate's work comes from my desire to see the return of this generation to the syndicate. The younger generation of journalists is the one that will be able to achieve the rehabilitation of the syndicate and get it out of the recovery room,” he said. Qallash, who has campaigned on matters of press freedoms and journalists' rights since the 1980s, participated in the establishment of the National Committee for Defending Freedom of Expression and served as its spokesperson during Mohamed Morsi's presidency, speaking out against attacks on the freedoms and rights of the media. Egypt ranked 159th out of the 180 countries listed in the Reporters without Borders 2014 World Press Freedom Index. In its annual roundup, the international group said that between December 2013 and December 2014, 46 journalists were arrested in Egypt. It added that 16 journalists were still imprisoned, representing nine per cent of all professional journalists imprisoned worldwide. The International Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a statement in February that the Egyptian authorities had been using criminal charges to crack down on the media and limit coverage of protests. Egypt was listed among the world's biggest jailers of journalists last year by the CPJ. According to syndicate estimates, ten journalists were killed in Egypt while reporting events over the past four years. The former syndicate board, elected in March 2013, has been criticised by some for what they say has been its failure to defend the profession's independence. “Such incidents happened during a period of instability, a transitional period, for the country. But the syndicate will put pressure on the authorities to release all the imprisoned journalists and investigate the deaths of reporters,” Qallash said. “It will do its best to restore the confidence of journalists and be once again the legal entity protecting them.” Since its issuance in 1979, the Journalists Syndicate Law has not been amended to match developments in the profession. Lack of syndicate recognition for organisations that have only an online presence has been a contentious issue, leaving many journalists with no access to membership. Over the last year, several newspapers have dismissed large numbers of journalists. As syndicate protection is limited to members, most of those laid off have not been supported. A condition of syndicate membership is formal employment in a media institution, leaving those working with no contracts unable to gain membership. “The syndicate is responsible for the regulation of the labour market and not just for syndicate members,” Qallash said in response to a question about such cases. “In some cases, the syndicate is restricted by its bylaws. We need to change the bylaws of the syndicate first, which were approved 36 years ago, before we can intervene. “The syndicate could also act as a third party between a journalist and his newspaper, such that it can act on his behalf and protect his rights,” Qallash said, adding that there would be much hard work to do regarding the drafting of new laws on journalists and the media. During the syndicate's recent general assembly meeting, members recommended that it put pressure on newspapers to issue periodic reports, including on the numbers of interns working for them. They also demanded that the syndicate extend its protection to nonmembers and encourage institutions to improve conditions for all journalists, including by establishing a minimum wage. As the parliamentary elections approach, syndicate committees have been discussing the amendment of media legislation in order to bring it into line with the 2014 Constitution. For Qallash, the former syndicate board has been tardy in its approach to amending the legislation. A national committee including 24 syndicate members was formed late last year to amend media-related legislation and the Supreme Press Council. The committee has completed a draft resolution to amend or annul over 40 articles in the penal code that allow for the imprisonment of journalists, according to a report, as well as recommendations for the drafting of laws that complement those in the new constitution guaranteeing the freedom of the media, including a law supporting freedom of information. “The former syndicate board waited for about ten months following the implementation of the new constitution to timidly discuss the formulation of the draft laws on media personnel. We will complete this work and will also involve more journalists such that we can mobilise effective support when negotiating with the authorities over the draft legislation,” Qallash said. One issue complained about by journalists is low salaries. “The salaries of almost all professions have been raised except those of journalists,” Qallash said. “In order for a journalist to be independent he needs to be properly paid, and this means increasing salary levels. The material conditions of journalists have become miserable, and this should be considered a national security issue. I promise an increase in journalists' salaries in the future,” Qallash said.
