Journalists union kicks out Nabaa's editor-in-chief
Egypt, Local, 6/24/2001

The Egyptian Journalists Syndicate Council decided late Friday to strip Al-Nabaa Editor-in-Chief Mamdouh Mahran and his son Hatem Mahran, a journalist, of the syndicate's membership, an egyptian report said.

Prosecutor General Maher Abdel Wahed had decided late Wednesday to ban Al-Nabaa Editor-in-Chief Mamdouh Mahran from travelling abroad.

Counsellor Ali Abdel Shakour, judge of the South Cairo Court, had also decided to hold a summary trial on Sunday for the editors-in-chief of Al-Nabaa and Akher Khabar newspapers for violating public deceny and publishing pictures about the sexual adventures of a disgraced Coptic monk who was ex-communicated by the Coptic Church five years ago.

The defendants will stand trial before a Cairo misdemeanour court under Counsellor Osama Mohammed Ali.

Higher State Security Prosecution levelled some accusations against Mahran for inciting sectarian sedition through publishing distorted stories about the sexual adventures of a disgraced monk, with no regard to morals, ethics or public order.

The prosecution called for applying the articles of the Penal Code to Mahran who might face a 12-year prison sentence.

The court decided to confiscate the paper's editions in which the story was published and this decision should be respected, People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour said in his condemnation of the incident.

Also, the Supreme Council for the Press condemned publishing obscene photographs of the monk by al-Nabaa and al-Mowagaha newspapers, breaking the norms and values of the society and its national unity.

Council's head Moustafa Kamal Helmi told a press conference after a meeting by the council that the two papers were referred to the prosecution for a probe.

Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, the Patriarch of Saint Mark's Diocese, called on Copts to remain calm and not to stage rallies. Meanwhile, the People's Assembly (PA) Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour denounced the yellow press reports on a Christian monk.

Various trade unions as well issued statements to condemn these publications which contradicted with the values of the Egyptian society, its norms and ethics.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian Press Council to file lawsuit to cancel Al-Naba'a license   (6/22/2001)
  Pope Shenouda urges Copts to stay calm, refrain from protests   (6/22/2001)
  Parliament denounces Al-Naba'a newspaper's reports   (6/19/2001)

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