The Administrative Court has ruled to temporarily ban two presenters on ultraconservative Islamist Al-Hafez Channel from appearing on the air. The Saturday decision called for the programme Fi Al-Mizan to be suspended for 30 days and forbade two of its presenters, Abdallah Badr and Atef Abdel Rashid from making television appearances.
The decision was made following a lawsuit filed by actress Elham Shahin, who had requested that the entire channel be shut down.
Badr is a controversial figure who is known for attacking his opponents with vitriolic language and insults. He called Shahin a “prostitute” on his show, also calling her “promiscuous” and “naked.” The actress reacted by filing a lawsuit against Badr for defamation and he was subsequently sentenced to one year in prison and an EGP 20,000 fine in December.
The Administrative Court also refused a request on Saturday to take satirist Bassem Youssef’s programme Al-Bernameg off the air pending his trial. A request for the temporary closure of Youssef’s CBC program had been submitted by Muslim Brotherhood lawyer Mahmoud Aboul Enein.
The lawsuit filed by Aboul Enein claims that Youssef’s programme illegally insulted the president and promoted corrupt morals through profanity and violation of religious values.
The original lawsuit against Youssef was filed by Ramadan Abdel Hamid Al-Oksory. Prosecutor General Tala’at Abdallah referred Youssef to investigation following the submission of the lawsuit. Al-Oksory accused the comedian of mocking President Mohamed Morsy and other public figures in a way that publicly humiliated them.
The court also ruled that Dream could return to its studios to broadcast its channels. Dream had been originally ordered that it could only broadcast its channels from Media Production City, although its studios are located Dreamland, a resort on the outskirts of Cairo.
Dream’s channels were briefly cut off before being permitted to return last November, and broadcasted from state-owned Media Production City.
