Doaa El-Bey reviews the TV and print coverage of the Hisham Talaat Mustafa verdict and whether the Israeli prime minister really wants peace The death of President Hosni Mubarak's grandson and Hisham Talaat Mustafa's death sentence came as a shock to the Egyptian people who reacted differently to the two incidents. The media coverage of the two incidents was also completely different. All the official, independent and opposition newspapers conveyed their genuine and heartfelt condolences to President Mubarak regardless of their differences with him. The weekly magazine Rose El-Youssef published a detailed portrait about the presidential family, the grandson and his mother's family. Abdullah Kamal wrote that although the media has repeatedly attacked Mubarak, its language changed completely after the death of his grandson. He ascribed this to the culture and values of Egyptians who learn lessons from death and remember their personal experience with death of a close relative or friend. "The feelings and sadness are linked to the status of the deceased and how close he was to one's heart. Consider when the deceased belongs to a family that is that big and influential?" Kamal added. Ahmed Ayoub wrote that the death showed the true nature of Egyptians who can differ, fight and challenge others, but at a time of calamity, show genuine support. In the independent daily Nahdet Masr Ayoub called on Mubarak to overcome his sadness because Egypt and Egyptians need him. Khairi Ramadan suggested that the death of the grandchild of President Mubarak could be an opportunity to rebuild bridges between the opposition and the political system in Egypt. However, he added, this was the responsibility of the political system headed by President Mubarak. He did not rule out that during these extraordinary circumstances Mubarak would possibly open the door to opposition groups and political movements to start a dialogue on the points of differences in the interest of Egypt. It is not hard for the government to build bridges with various movements, both at home and abroad, because such opportunities do not frequently happen. Given that collective joy is few in our lives, collective grief, which is part of the psychological structure of the Egyptians, is an opportunity for public reconciliation, Ramadan added. Ramadan also chose to highlight the state of partial mourning shown by the Egyptian state and satellite channels for three days. If one acknowledges that it is the duty of the media and the right of the president and his family, why was it not done when more than 1,300 Egyptians died in the Al-Salam ferry disaster or after the train fire calamity? "Isn't it the right of the Egyptian people that the media share their sorrow with them?" Ramadan asked in the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Yom. The media, which was criticised for not paying due respect to Egyptians at a time of collective sorrow, was also accused of exaggeration in covering the trial of Hisham Talaat Mustafa and Mohsen El-Sukkari. Sabri Ghoneim wrote that the court's death sentence issued against Mustafa and El-Sukkari put an end to speculation, predictions and allegations which preceded the ruling. It disappointed those who arrogantly announced that an acquittal was in their pockets, relying on evidence that was, in their view, proof of innocence, but turned to be proof for conviction in the judge's point of view. Ghoneim supported the court's decision to ban the publication of any details about the case in order to stop the series of accusations against the defendants until they are proven guilty. Judge El-Mohamedi Qonsowa aimed to protect the defendants from unfounded allegations by some newspapers that are specialised in publishing lies. Besides, the court was able to get rid of the cameras and for the first time examine the case quietly, away from media pressure. Thus the death sentence came as a shock to most Egyptians who did not expect such a harsh sentence. Still the convicts have a chance in the Court of Appeals before which they can submit evidence to prove their innocence, Ghoneim wrote in the weekly official newspaper Akhbar Al-Yom. Salah Eissa pointed to the phenomena that surrounded the case, which we should consider with seriousness: that the media are giving excessive attention to crimes, running them on the front pages of newspapers and broadcasting them on many television shows in the hope of grasping the public's attention, and making a profit from commercials. In the meantime, the coverage comes at the expense of the media's prime role which is searching for and uncovering the truth. This excessive publication of the news about crime is responsible for the widespread impression that there is no stability in security in Egypt, which Eissa said was partially true. However, relying on newspapers and the media as the only source does not lead to scientific conclusions that reflect the extent of the phenomenon. It just gives the impression that could be exaggerated. The second phenomenon that Eissa pointed out is that of street trials, which was initiated by the media in this case and others, which move trials from courtrooms to television screens and newspaper pages by hearing the testimony of witnesses who have not appeared before the court and the arguments of lawyers which have not yet been heard by the judges. "The problem with these kinds of television and media trials is that they turns the streets into courts, and every citizen sitting in front of the television into a judge ruling in a case without being qualified to do so, and without reading the documents pertaining to the case or hearing witnesses," Eissa wrote in Al-Masry Al-Yom. So if the court, which heard all this and spent months in examining and verifying the facts, issued a ruling that was not expected by the people, it could be considered unjust or biased. Karam Gabr hailed the judge who issued the death sentence against Mustafa and El-Sukkari and said that those who cast doubt on the ruling should be ashamed of themselves. "What do we expect from lawyers who took millions of pounds in the case and could not save their defendants from a death sentence? They can do nothing but cast doubt on the integrity of the judge in the hope of saving their future which was ruined after the death sentence," Gabr wrote in the daily newspaper Rose El-Youssef. He warned that attacking judges is a real danger that could threaten the future of our country. Judges are the protectors of democracy, legitimacy and the rule of law, the writer concluded.
