By AP
CAIRO: A leading watchdog has slammed Egypt’s military rulers for reinstating the Information Ministry, one of the symbols of Hosni Mubarak’s authoritarian rule.
The Committee to Protect Journalists says the move is a major setback for press freedom in Egypt, five months after Mubarak’s ouster in a popular uprising.
A statement released by the New York-based group late Tuesday says the ministry’s history as an arm of the ousted regime makes it unsuitable “to reform the media sector.”
The ministry was seen by many as a propaganda office for the regime. It was disbanded and its head sacked following Mubarak’s ouster on Feb. 11.
The military rulers who took power after Mubarak stepped down last week reinstated the ministry and named a new information minister.
