Press Syndicate introduces blacklist

Gamal Fahmy from Journalists' Syndicate is concerned Cairo - Akram Ali The editors of Egyptian newspapers and the Press Syndicate Council have introduced a blacklist to expose those who attack press freedom. In a meeting at the Wafd Party headquarters on Monday evening, editors and the Council discussed the recent attacks on media organisations, the last of which happened at the Wafd newspaper offices. The meeting concluded with the formation of a Preparatory Commission, which will hold regular meetings to keep tabs on the media situation in Egypt. Furthermore, the introduction of a blacklist is aimed at naming and shaming those who attack press freedom and seek to impose restrictions on the media. The editors say that their blacklist does not aim to incite violence against those listed, but wants to uncover them. Gamal Fahmy from the Egyptian Journalists' Syndicate told Arabstoday that "as soon as they finished drafting the constitution, Muslim Brotherhood increased hostilities towards the media. This operation is being led by Khairat al-Shater, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood." Fahmi added that the Syndicate will rely on local and international human rights organisations to judicially prosecute those who attack the media.