U.S starting to put pressure on Egypt’s media crackdown

The situation in Egypt is getting worse between President Hosni Mubarak and the free press, as journalists are on trial and editors are threatening to boycott newsstands, Agence France Presse reported Thursday.

According to the article: “At least seven journalists have been given custodial sentenced so far this month on charges ranging from misquoting the justice minister to reporting rumors that Mubarak was sick.”

Ibrahim Eissa, editor of the Al-Destur daily, told AFP ahead of his trail that: “I could feel important but what I see is the mark of a regime gone crazy.”

15 independent and opposition newspapers said on Thursday that due to the crackdown they will not publish on October 7 in protest “against the fierce campaign against the free press in Egypt.”

“Now the regime has learned this new tactic – instead of pursuing someone directly, it gets citizens who are part of their own ruling junta to file complaints and then get an investigation underway,” human rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim said.

The United States made a statement Monday expressing “deep concerns” over the convictions.” The criticism was rejected by key regional ally Egypt as “unacceptable interference.”

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