CAIRO: In response to accusations made by Shoura Council Speaker Safwat El Sherif, the Journalists’ Syndicate said that the press didn’t violate code of ethics in their coverage of the fire that gutted the council’s historical building in August.
El Sheirf, who also head the Higher Council of Press, said in report that press coverage of the fire was filled with negative sentiments as writers gloated the incident.
“I know that the Higher Council of Press made this report, but we (the Press Syndicate) has not officially received anything concerning this report so far. but even when we receive it, we know it isn’t true, said Gamal Fahmy, board member of the Journalists’ Syndicate, and head of its Arab and Foreign Affairs office.
“This feeling of happiness and gloating that was evident in reports and interviews came from the public and not from the press. And they, from my point of view, have every right to have such feelings, Fahmy said.
According to Fahmy, the press reports on the Shoura Council fire only represented how the public feel about the legislative authorities. “The public believes that these institutions were established to serve interests of a handful of special people, whom the government allows them to win their seats in the parliaments by forgery, and not for the sake of the general public.
Fahmy also added that he thinks the report is only made for publicity and that nothing will happen further than that. But if anything does happen, “the press syndicate will support the press coverage of the Shoura council fire and the right of the public to express their true feelings to the press.
