Another Egypt editor faces trial over Mubarak rumours
CAIRO (AFP) — Another Egyptian newspaper editor is facing prosecution for writing about President Hosni Mubarak's health, a judicial source said on Tuesday, a day after Washington voiced concern over such trials.
A lawyer brought the case against Al-Badil's editor Mohammed Sayyed Said accusing him of "spreading false news" concerning the state of 79-year-old Mubarak's health.
Lawyer Samir al-Shishtawi, who filed the case with the public prosecutor, is also behind the trial on the same charge of another newspaper editor, Ibrahim Eissa, due to start on October 1.
A Cairo court earlier this month sentenced Eissa and three other journalists to one year in prison and fined them each 20,000 Egyptian pounds (3,500 dollars) for "harming public interest."
Three other journalists were on Monday sentenced to two years for "having published untrue information which damaged the reputation of the justice system and the justice ministry" for allegedly misquoting the minister of justice.
The White House on Monday voiced deep concern over the spate of jailings.
"These latest decisions appear to contradict the Egyptian government's stated commitment to expand democratic rights," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.
Journalists and non-governmental organisations in Egypt should be permitted "to carry out their peaceful work in a hospitable environment free from fear of harassment, reprisal, intimidation, and discrimination," it said.
Journalists in Egypt can be sent to jail for writings that are deemed to insult the president or state institutions such as parliament or the cabinet.
Rights groups have criticised Egypt for imprisoning journalists for what they say is exercising their right to freedom of expression.
