In Focus: Journalism and jails An imprisoned press is a reflection of an imprisoned regime, writes Galal Nassar One of our problems is that Arab governments and politicians have a propensity for delayed reaction. They respond belatedly rather than act on time. Recently, Arab governments discovered they need substantial political and economic reforms. The reforms proved hard and costly because they were long overdue. And action on reform is proceeding in fits and starts, and with a lot of fear and trepidation. Some people are trying to maintain the status quo, and by doing so taint the regime's image at home and abroad. In other parts of the world, governments try their best to please the public, to maintain credibility. Not here. In this country, words are no sooner said than forgotten. The president promises no rigging, yet rigging takes place. He promises no thuggery, yet thuggery occurs. He promises not to imprison journalists, yet journalists keep going to jail. The president says things and their exact opposite happens. This is why the nation is bewildered. Apparently, the president needs to be present in every single situation and supervise everything the government does, if his words are to ever turn into deeds. Journalists are still sentenced to prison in publishing offences. Despite promises the president made two years ago, ministers are bringing more lawsuits against journalists. This creates palpable tension, if not outright hostility, between the press and the government. The prison sentence passed on journalist Abdel-Nasser El-Zuheiri in a case involving the former housing minister is illustrative. It tells us that things have not changed since the president made his promise. It tells us that writers in this country have to live under the threat of imprisonment at all times. The minister was to drop the case, so as not to contradict the president's orders, but the issue calls for broader action. There is a draft law banning the imprisonment of journalists. Yet parliament is not discussing it, perhaps because certain people do not want the law to appear in broad daylight. There are certain people in this country who want journalists to live in endless fear of imprisonment, fines and dismissal. Journalists must not be punished for publishing offences. No country that has any respect for the freedom of expression imprisons journalists. Freedom of the press is a mark of a free regime, the imprisonment of the press a mark of an imprisoned regime; one that sees tyranny as reassurance not aberration. I believe that the Egyptian regime is more enlightened than the legislators. I believe that the Egyptian regime is more progressive than the prophets of doom in the National Democratic Party (NDP). The torch of reform must be kept alight. Fear of freedom is a legacy from a dark past, and we must overcome it. To free the press is to free the regime from confusion and delusion, corruption and intrigue. We hope that the president, who is still the only one calling the shots in this country, will press the government and the NDP to end imprisonment in publishing offences. This is a simple matter, and can be accomplished in this parliamentary session. It doesn't need to wait. The press is not above the law, but it has to be free. Freedom of the press is integral to all other freedoms. The press has a mission and a duty, and journalists are entitled to speak their mind and stay free. The government has every right to rebut misinformation. The press expects nothing less. But on principle, no man should be imprisoned for something he wrote. The enemies of the press are also the enemies of the public, and of the regime.
