Excerpts: Not so sacred Saudi Arabia.Egyptian Press "freedom".12 March 2006
+++ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 12 Mar.'06:"Over 2,000 Overstayers Arrested" Samir
Al-Saadi, Arab News
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"Police busted up prostitution houses, illegal maid networks, forged ID
document rackets, alcohol manufacturers and distributors, and illegal
international call cabin operators."
" 'Some just waiting to be raided to get a free ride back home, others
acknowledging that they have nowhere to run,,' he said. Many undocumented
migrants in this region are pilgrims that overstay their Haj visas."
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EXCERPTS:
JEDDAH, 12 March 2006 - In its largest pre-dawn raid so far this year,
Jeddah security ... arresting 2,327 undocumented migrants, most of whom
appeared to be voluntarily turning themselves in for deportation.
... Jeddah police chief Col. Misfer Al-Misahi led ... the operations, which
involved cutting off electricity to 16 residential buildings that were
crowded with overstayers. Landlords of these properties are being
investigated.
Police busted up prostitution houses, illegal maid networks, forged ID
document rackets, alcohol manufacturers and distributors, and illegal
international call cabin operators. Drugs were confiscated from a number of
homes; police said that they found large amounts of Captagon (the commercial
name for a therapeutic amphetamine fenetylline) and hashish.
. . .
"We have solved a number of crimes by matching fingerprints," said an
official who did not want to be identified.
In Jeddah's downtown ... Arab News observed hundreds of presumed
overstayers turning themselves in as soon as the buses for arrested illegal
aliens stopped.
Arab News asked an officer at the scene if it is common to have overstayers
voluntarily turning themselves in for deportation. "Yes," he said, "they
start turning themselves in. Some just waiting to be raided to get a free
ride back home, others acknowledging that they have nowhere to run," he
said.
Many undocumented migrants in this region are pilgrims that overstay their
Haj visas.
+++AL-AHRAM WEEKLY 9-15 Mar.'06:"Confrontation escalates"
HEADING:"With the imprisonment of a second journalist in less than two weeks
the showdown between government
and press is in danger of spinning out of control, writes
Jailan Halawi"
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"Several unsuccessful attempts have already been made at issuing a draft
law that satisfies all parties, Indeed, the
Ministry of Justice is currently drafting a law and will consult with
the syndicate over its provisions before submitting
it to the People's Assembly. Yet according to the syndicate's council
the new law 'remains enigmatic'."
" 'why is it taking the government years to repeal a law that restricts
freedom when, in serving its own interests, it
passes many [laws] in a matter of days' "
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EXCERPTS:
A Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced a journalist to one year in jail,
fuelling the growing conflict between the press and the government.
Journalist Amira Malsh was found guilty of libelling judge Atia Mohamed Awad
in a story published in the independent weekly Al-Fagr in July. Malsh said
information mentioned in the story was quoted from sources linked to a
bribery case then under investigation by the state security prosecutor.
Al-Fagr 's editor-in-chief, the well known writer Adel Hamouda, said he
would contest the ruling which he described as "a new blow to journalists".
Hamouda called on the Press Syndicate and all human rights organisations to
support Malsh.
The ruling is the second time in less than two weeks that a journalist has
been imprisoned and ups the ante in the campaign by journalists to rescind
the law that allows jail sentences for publication offences.
On 23 February a Cairo court sentenced Abdel-Nasser El-Zuheiri, a journalist
with the independent daily Al-Masri Al-Yom, to one year in jail. El-Zuheiri,
along with two colleagues from the same paper, was also ordered to pay
LE10,001 in compensation.
The three journalists had been accused of libelling former minister of
housing Mohamed Ibrahim Suleiman in a story that appeared in August 2004.
Last April each received one- year jail sentence but was subsequently
granted a retrial since the earlier judgement had been passed in absentia.
On 3 March, following discussions between the Chairman of the Press
Syndicate Galal Aref, Suleiman, Minister of Information Anas El-Fiqi and
head of the Supreme Press Council Safwat El-Sherif, Suleiman agreed to drop
suits filed against 37 publications.
Following the meeting Aref and Suleiman issued a joint statement in which
Suleiman explained his decision to abandon the lawsuits had come in response
to both the president's decision to do away with custodial sentences and
appeals he had received from the Supreme Press Council.
Suleiman noted he was satisfied with the court ruling in his favour and was
not actively seeking the jailing of journalists.
. . .
Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly Aref described the move as a reflection of the
regime's conviction that jail sentences for publication offences are no
longer relevant as Egypt moves towards reform and democracy. The compromise,
he said, was "a sign that the government is seeking a way to end the
crisis".
Aref nonetheless stressed that the syndicate's goal was not only to suspend
the sentence against El-Zuheiri but to press for the abolition of custodial
sentences. Until that happens, he said, "the confrontation lingers".
. . .
Several unsuccessful attempts have already been made at issuing a draft law
that satisfies all concerned parties. Indeed, the Ministry of Justice is
currently drafting a law and will consult with the syndicate over its
provisions before submitting it to the People's Assembly. Yet according to
the syndicate's council the new law "remains enigmatic".
In statements President Hosni Mubarak has said the law in question should be
passed during the current parliamentary session, which ends in May.
Journalists, though, are sceptical: "why is it taking the government years
to repeal a law that restricts freedom when, in serving its own interests,
it passes many [laws] in a matter of days," noted one.
One explanation for the delay is concern on the part of the Ministry of
Justice over several provisions in the syndicate's own draft law. Yet though
the ministry has informed the syndicate of such concerns it has yet to call
for further consultations.
Rumours have recently surfaced that the Ministry of Justice has already
presented its own draft law to the Council of Ministers, without consulting
or informing the syndicate, a move should it prove true will serve only to
complicate the picture.
But can the law be passed without the syndicate's consent?
"Of course. They [the government] can do anything. Yet we will reject any
law of which we have not approved and over which we have not been
consulted," said Aref.
The journalists' campaign, Aref explained, should not be viewed solely in
terms of enshrining their right not to be jailed for what they write but
within the framework of democratic reforms.
"We cannot speak of liberty when there is such restraint on freedoms. We are
not asking that journalists be above the law, or for a licence to slander,
but we are calling for jail sentences to be replaced by fines. No one should
be jailed for their views."
Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA
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