Head of the Press Syndicate Abdel Mohsen Salama responded in a press statement on Monday that he rejects any amendment to the law of the syndicate from any entity outside it.
This came in response to a proposal by the head of the Human Rights Committee, Alaa Abed, which was submitted to amend the law of the Press Syndicate to make membership in the syndicate limited to graduates of faculties of media and mass communication.
Abed explained that the new law will not impact current journalists already registered with the syndicate. He also stated that “it’s not yet legislation, and just an idea to be discussed,” and that he is keen to hear the views of parliament members and particularly media experts and journalists.
Salama rejected that any other entity outside the syndicate could make any amendments to the law, pointing out that the syndicate is already preparing a draft to amend the current law.
“The syndicate is the only body mandated by the Egyptian Constitution to send draft laws regulating its work, and a member of the House of Representatives should not submit a draft law regulating the work of press,” Salama said.
Other prominent media figures rejected the proposal, affirming that the press profession is a talent. Head of the Supreme Media Council Makram Ahmed said that the proposal is misplaced, as journalism mainly requires talent, and that there are many writers and journalists from different generations who graduated from faculties of media and have talent.
Meanwhile, Hussein Al-Zanaty, secretary-general of the syndicate, questioned the relationship between the Human Rights Committee and the Syndicate of Journalists Law to propose to the law, asserting that only the syndicate is responsible for this.
A large number of prominent and intelligent journalists and media figures in Egypt are not originally mass communication graduates. However many have completed media studies. Many journalists who have studied various sciences were granted syndicate membership for their work achievements that met the requirements of the profession.
Critics have long rejected non-mass communication graduates practicing the profession, believing that they are one of the reasons that journalistic work is deteriorating.
