Date of source: Monday, August 30, 2004
Journalists are now among those who are most frequently called up to the judge’s chambers. In
the past two months, 28 complaints have been filed against journalists in addition to 400 other
complaints that are under investigation.
Date of source: Thursday, June 3, 2004
Last week, the catastrophe of the confiscation of books appeared on the surface again
as two books were accused of offending religion. The book of “Shukran Bin Laden” [Thank you Bin
Laden] by Sayyed Al-Qimni was recommended to be banned by the Islamic Research Institute. The
other book “Tahya Al...
Date of source: Monday, September 27, 2004
A conference on the freedom of expression was lately held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in
cooperation with both the Reform Forum, affiliated with the Bibliotheca, and representatives of
freedom of expression from Norway.
The conference reviewed Arab and Norwegian reports about
the statuses of...
Date of source: Friday, October 1, 2004
Holding the conference on freedom of expression at the same time of the second annual
conference of the National Democratic Party is a mere coincidence. The difference between the
official view of reformation and what the Arab intellectuals aim at, is clear. Each view seems as
if it is related...
Date of source: Monday, June 21, 2004
Egypt’s long history is full of incidents of stifling the freedom to think, to choose,
and to be different. Stifling freedom of expression is justified by religion, morals, or the
public good. These are all masks for political interests and short-term gains. We live in a tribe
controlled by one...
Date of source: Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Dr. Moussa Hawamda, a
Jordanian poet, has become very famous in the last five years after the recent campaign against
his collection of poems My Trees Are Higher issued in fall 1999. Moussa Hawamda who was brought
before the Jordanian court five years ago and then sentenced to six months...
Date of source: Sunday, February 29, 2004
Nasr Hamid Abu Zeid does not like to be presented as the oppressed or the exiled
intellectual. In his writings, he confirmed that the aim of his discussions and questions is “not
doubting the validity but attempting to understand.” He untiringly calls for “the freedom of
research, discussion and...
Date of source: Monday, May 17, 2004
MP Tala’at Al-Sadat submitted a request for information regarding the showing of “The Passion of the Christ” in Egyptian theaters. Al-Sadat considered the showing of the film in Egypt, with its portrayal of Jesus Christ, a prologue to the portrayal of prophet Muhammad. This, according to Al-Sadat,...
Date of source: Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Muslim intellectual Dr. Abdel Azim Al-Mata’ani said the Azhar is playing a vital role in the confrontation against deviant thought that views itself as innovation, adding the Azhar is not entitled to confiscate any works of art.
Date of source: Saturday, November 27, 2004
The French Supreme Council for Visual and Audible Information refused the request of the Representative Council of Jewish-French Organizations to reconsider the decision of allowing the television channel Al-Manar, which belongs to Hezbollah, to broadcast its programs to France.