Al Ahram berates Interior Ministry

[newcastle]

Egypt’s Al-Ahram strongly criticises interior ministry after police storm Journalists SyndicateEgypt’s oldest public daily newspaper expects the sacking of the interior minister in response to the storming of the journalists syndicate on Sunday


Egypt's Press Syndicate calls for general assembly, sit-in at HQ after police 'attack'

Egypt's police arrest two journalists at press syndicate in 'unprecedented' move
Egypt’s Al-Ahram daily newspaper published in its Tuesday edition strong criticism of the interior ministry after the unprecedented move of police storming the press syndicate on Sunday to arrest two journalists, a step described by lawmakers as “unconstitutional.”
Al-Ahram’s editorial said the announcement of the sacking of the interior minister is expected in response to the heinous act [of storming the syndicate] that left the entire country with a feeling of “sickness.”

“The leaders of the [interior] ministry and those who control them didn’t realise that the disgraceful act of storming the Journalists Syndicate is unprecedented and unacceptable,” it added.

The unsigned editorial also directly criticised the interior ministry’s recent general performance.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent ... minis.aspx

Has the worm turned?

[Hafiz]

A 'sit in' - how 60's. What next, a 'love in'?

The point about a worm is it never had any spine.

[newcastle]

I'm not sure I would have much of a spine either......faced with the ruthless forces of the security services.

Why should they make a fight of it when the masses won't?

Here's an interesting tale :


On Monday night, the Interior Ministry sent out an accidental email to their press list detailing their plan to deal with the Journalists' Syndicate crisis.

The email detailed a plan to incriminate the head of the syndicate for "harboring two convicted criminals who needed to be brought to justice." The email also underlined a pressing need to deal with three members of the syndicate council who may be "against the ministry." The ministry followed this email with another email saying that they were facing "technical difficulties that are now being repaired.

http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/e ... ist-crisis

[Hafiz]

Newcastle - the leaked/hacked email from the ministry of the interior you quote refers to 'convicted criminals'. These two journalists were convicted of nothing just arrested on suspicion.

The language shows that the ministry doesn't understand the difference between charged and convicted or maybe there isn't a practical difference at this time.

On the worm that turns - al Ahram is at it again. Having found its conscience and protested like a goosed duchess at the raid on the Journalists Syndicate it now reverses itself and goes all soft in reporting the subsequent protest meeting at the Syndicate and, as a result, arouses the ire of a betrayed lover from ts competitor - Masry. Their combined outrage on the raid lasted only a few days before Ahram turned back to the dark side. Masry's fulminations are at; http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/a ... te-meeting.

Has anyone read any of Evelyn Waugh's satires on Africa? Can't think why they come to mind and, on second thoughts, they are shockingly racist and not for enlightened modern readers. Start with 'Scoop' - but you were warned.