Region | Egypt
Egyptian court starts trial of five journalists
A local court on Thursday opened the trial of five journalists from two newspapers on charges of violating a ban on reporting about the trial of an Egyptian business tycoon accused of involvement in the murder of a Lebanese singer in Dubai last July.
- By Ramadan Al SherbiniCorrespondent
- Published: 23:35 December 4, 2008
Cairo: A local court on Thursday opened the trial of five journalists from two newspapers on charges of violating a ban on reporting about the trial of an Egyptian business tycoon accused of involvement in the murder of a Lebanese singer in Dubai last July.
The court in the southern Cairo area of Al Sayeda Zeinab delayed the trial of the five journalists, including two chief editors, until January 8 to allow their defence lawyers to check the official documents on the case, legal sources said.
The hearing opened as anti-riot police barred reporters from entering the courtroom, without giving an explanation.
"Why should journalists be prevented from doing their job?" shouted Mohammad Abdul Qudoos, a member of the independent Press Syndicate, outside the court building.
"Why should there be a ban? Is it because the case smells of corruption?" he shouted on a hand microphone as other reporters staged a sit-in.
On November 16 a criminal court, hearing the murder case of Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim, ordered a ban on reporting about the details of the high-profile trial, which involves Hesham Tala'at Mustafa, one of Egypt's top real estate developers and a senior politician in President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party.
"Mustafa is accused of ordering Mohsin Al Sukkari, an ex-policeman, of killing Tamim in return for $2 million.
Late last month, Egypt's chief prosecutor Mahmoud Abdul Majuid referred to court three journalists from the influential independent Al Masri Al Youm, including editor Majdi Al Jallad, and two others from the opposition newspaper Al Wafd, including its editor Abbas Al Tareibili, for breaching the ban.
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