Head of the Press Syndicate Abdel Mohsen Salama asserted on Sunday that the issue of blocking of websites will be resolved within one week, according to state-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA).
Since May 24, the number of blocked websites increased from 21 to 129, reported the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE).
The institution responsible for the blocking of websites is unknown.
The syndicate’s council assembled on Sunday night to discuss several issues for journalists, including the blocking of websites, arbitrary dismissal and press regulating legislation.
According to MENA, member of the syndicate’s council Gamal Abdelreheem said that the council assigned Salama to communicate with Editor in Chief of Al-Youm Al-Sabea newspaper regarding the dismissal of journalists from the paper.
Four journalists were dismissed from Al-Youm Al-Sabea for their political views, in opposition to the recently ratified maritime border demarcation agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, reported Mada Masr.
Furthermore, member of the syndicate’s council Ayman Abdelmegeed told MENA that the council agreed to include an article about under training journalists in the Press Regulating Law draft, adding that the article would stipulate that the number of under training journalists in a newspaper does not exceed 5% of its staff.
Abdelmegeed explained that this article would solve the issue of arbitrary dismissal, as most newspaper dismiss journalists who do not have contracts proving they were employed but are rather referred to as under training.
The council is set to send recommendations to the parliament concerning the new press regulating draft law.
The parliament is currently working on the Press Regulating Law draft, after the first was enacted in December 2016. The second law would be concerned with regulating practising media and journalism.
