The Human Rights Association for the assistance of prisoners

Hand-in-Hand for Combating Torture in Egypt

Cairo: 18/3/2004

The Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners HRAAP received anxiously and sorrowfully the judgment of the Misdemeanor court, Imbaba district, in 17/3/2004, which sentenced Mr. Shakik Al-Taher “journalist in Sout Al-Omma” to a year in prison and fining him L.E. 5.000 as well as paying bail of L.E 5.000 to stop carrying out the verdict. The incidents date back when Hala Sedky “actress” filed a lawsuit No. 1336/ 1993 high court southern Cairo, against him accusing him of abusing and defaming her.

That happened at the same time the association welcomed the decision of the president to prohibit journalists imprisonment in cases of publishing, so it hopes this decision to be carried out. In addition, we hope the competent authorities enforce quickly all procedures and means to ring the decision into effect.

The association requests journalists and writers to respect the private life of any human, as a respect for the human rights and the sanctity of the private life. 

The Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners