'One of our goals is to support a change in Egypt'

Dubai: Currently, four editors-in-chief are facing imprisonment for up to one year in Egypt.

Criticism of the Egyptian parliament, government figures, President Hosni Mubarak and the prime minister through their respective newspapers has lead to their trial.

Gulf News interviewed Hafiz Abu Seada, secretary general, Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, about freedom of press and restrictions under Mubarak's rule.

"One of our goals as a human rights movement is to support peaceful change in Egypt. We are not campaigning to release the government or Mubarak, but we are asking for an embargo that will clear government to be ready for a free and fair election, which allows Egyptians to elect the government - not to release the government all together.

"We are not going to be playing the role of government, but we have to support the people to fight for democracy and the respect of human rights," he said.

Abu Seada is calling for reform of the Egyptian penal code - 32 articles of the code currently stipulate that journalists can be punished by prison sentences.

'Complicated situation'

"We have a complicated situation at the present moment. If you look to the newspapers you will find a very harsh language used by journalists against the government; but at the same time the government is using the penal code to refer journalists to criminal court. This contradicts the situation.

"There is a need for a strong movement from human rights groups, from the journalists, and from syndicates, to pressure the government to change these articles that give prison sentences to journalists. We do now have free press, but there is pressure from the government to sit back," Abu Seada said.