May 10, 2013 | International Media Support (IMS)
Two years after the revolution in Egypt, the country’s media is yet to be revolutionised, says Rasha Abdulla, Associate Professor and Chair of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo
While the current political instability gives room for people to speak out, it should not be mistaken for free speech, Abdulla told IMS at the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Mediterranean Forum in Marseille.
What is the current level of press freedom in Egypt?
“There is no freedom whatsoever. Journalists write what they want and criticize the president, but not because laws guarantee their freedom but because they are defying the authorities who tell them not to. Freedom is to know you are protected by the constitution. But if you say something the president won’t like and two hours later have a lawsuit hanging over your head, that’s not freedom. It’s a high risk people take every day.