Stricter penalties urged on FX real estate purchases    Egypt allocates EGP 9.7bn to Suez governorate for development projects in FY 2023/24    20 Israeli soldiers killed in resistance operations: Hamas spokesperson    Health Minister emphasises state's commitment to developing nursing sector    Sudan aid talks stall as army, SPLM-N clash over scope    Madbouly conducts inspection tour of industrial, technological projects in Beni Suef    Taiwan's tech sector surges 19.4% in April    France deploys troops, blocks TikTok in New Caledonia amid riots    Egypt allocates EGP 7.7b to Dakahlia's development    Microsoft eyes relocation for China-based AI staff    Abu Dhabi's Lunate Capital launches Japanese ETF    Asian stocks soar after milder US inflation data    K-Movement Culture Week: Decade of Korean cultural exchange in Egypt celebrated with dance, music, and art    Egypt considers unified Energy Ministry amid renewable energy push    Empower Her Art Forum 2024: Bridging creative minds at National Museum of Egyptian Civilization    Niger restricts Benin's cargo transport through togo amidst tensions    Egypt's museums open doors for free to celebrate International Museum Day    Egypt and AstraZeneca discuss cooperation in supporting skills of medical teams, vaccination programs    Madinaty Open Air Mall Welcomes Boom Room: Egypt's First Social Entertainment Hub    Egyptian consortium nears completion of Tanzania's Julius Nyerere hydropower project    Sweilam highlights Egypt's water needs, cooperation efforts during Baghdad Conference    AstraZeneca injects $50m in Egypt over four years    Egypt, AstraZeneca sign liver cancer MoU    Swiss freeze on Russian assets dwindles to $6.36b in '23    Climate change risks 70% of global workforce – ILO    Prime Minister Madbouly reviews cooperation with South Sudan    Egypt retains top spot in CFA's MENA Research Challenge    Egyptian public, private sectors off on Apr 25 marking Sinai Liberation    Debt swaps could unlock $100b for climate action    Amal Al Ghad Magazine congratulates President Sisi on new office term    Egyptian, Japanese Judo communities celebrate new coach at Tokyo's Embassy in Cairo    Financial literacy becomes extremely important – EGX official    Euro area annual inflation up to 2.9% – Eurostat    BYD، Brazil's Sigma Lithium JV likely    UNESCO celebrates World Arabic Language Day    Motaz Azaiza mural in Manchester tribute to Palestinian journalists    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Director of labor rights group, freelance journalist sentenced to one year for defamation
Published in Daily News Egypt on 03 - 10 - 2007

CAIRO: Kamal Abbas, the director of the Center for Trade Union and Worker Services (CTUWS), a high-profile labor rights group shut down by the authorities last winter, was sentenced to one year in prison for defamation.
The case was filed against both him and a freelance writer for the group's magazine, after it published allegations of corruption against a Cairo youth center which later proved to be true.
Both Abbas and the writer, Mohamed Helmy, were sentenced by the Helwan Misdemeanor Court, but remain free pending an appeal which will be heard on Dec. 26.
The charges were published in Kalam Sanay'iya, the magazine of the Center for Trade Union and Worker Services, which was shut down in March after the state accused it of threatening national security by encouraging workers to strike.
In the article, Helmy alleged that the management of the 15th of May Youth Center was corrupt, and laid the blame on Mohamed Mustafa Ibrahim, the chairman of its board and a member of the National Democratic Party who was once a parliamentary candidate.
When the article appeared, Ibrahim sued both Helmy and Abbas for "public abuse and "defamation of his capacity as a public representative.
The author claimed inside knowledge of the center's operations because he was also a member of its board of directors, and, along with four other board members filed a complaint against Ibrahim before Cairo governor Abdel Azim Wazir last year.
Wazir assigned a task force to investigate the charges, which released a report last January confirming Helmy's allegations of financial misconduct and recommending that Ibrahim be removed from his position.
In response, Wazir disbanded the entire board of the 15th of May Center, relieving both Helmy and Ibrahim of their duties.
Abbas stands by the article, saying that the governor's action against the center's management proves that it was based on facts.
"The article that we published about the 15th of May Youth Center was based on facts and research, he told Daily News Egypt.
"Those complaints and facts were all accurate and legitimate, and eventually led to solving many of the problems at the center.
"Ibrahim filed his suit against both the writer and I before it was clear to everyone that the facts were true, and before the problems there were solved, he added.
In a statement released to the media, the CTUWS expressed "extreme concern at what it called an "unbelievable sentence.
It says the sentence is just another example of the regime's crackdown on both free speech and non-governmental organizations, and demanded the government "annul penalties which restrict freedom of publishing and also called for Egyptians to "defend freedom of expression.


Clic here to read the story from its source.