(Photo from Al-Bayan Newspaper)
The Editor-in-Chief of Al-Bayan newspaper, Ibrahim Aref, who was arrested and investigated over a publishing case, was released on bail Tuesday.
The General Prosecution released Aref on an EGP 10,000 bail, following investigations against him over accusations of publishing false news and endangering general security, state-run newspaper Al-Ahram reported.
Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat issued an arrest warrant Monday for Aref for “publishing false news that can endanger general security, terrorise people and harm public interest”, state media reported.
The questioned news covered the assassination of six prosecutors and was published by the paper on Monday morning according to the prosecution. However, the report was not to be found on the newspaper’s website later.
The newspaper’s Dokki office was raided by police and Aref was arrested on Monday.
The prosecution also ordered, Tuesday, that the reporter who wrote the news and the newspaper’s CEO be brought in for investigation.
The Press Syndicate issued a statement Monday condemning the prosecution’s move against Aref, saying it violates articles 68 and 69 of the press regulation law, setting controls on investigating journalists in publishing cases.
“The syndicate asserts that the quick move by the prosecution in the case violates all legal rules, especially as law prevents pre-trial detention in publishing cases, as it also conditions informing the syndicate of summoning any journalist for investigation with enough time before the summon,” the statement added.
The Press Syndicate called on the prosecution to commit to legal rules, as “violating them by the authority which is supposed to enforce law may send negative signals”.
