Statement by the Journalists in Sit-In: No Retreat Without Dismissal and Apology

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists

We, the journalists in sit-in (members of the General Assembly) at the headquarters of the Journalists’ Syndicate, for the seventh consecutive day, are standing firm in defense of press freedom and protesting the raid on and storming of the Syndicate by the Ministry of Interior. We reiterate our full commitment to all decisions made during the historic General Assembly meeting of journalists, held last Wednesday with the participation of thousands of journalists. Key demands from the meeting include:

1. The dismissal of Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar.
2. An apology from the presidency.
3. The release of all journalists imprisoned for opinion and publishing-related cases and those falsely accused.
4. Enactment of laws that criminalize attacks on or raids of the Syndicate.
5. Legislation to prohibit imprisonment in publishing cases.

The journalists unanimously supported these and other demands.

The journalists in the sit-in affirm their continued protest inside the Syndicate, maintaining their activities throughout the current week and in the weeks to follow until all their legitimate and just demands are met. The first activity will occur today, Sunday, with a call to our colleagues in all national, private, and party-affiliated media institutions to support and bolster the journalists’ sit-in through all possible means. This effort should also be amplified on the hashtag #JournalismIsNotACrime on Twitter and Facebook.

Additionally, we invite participation in another event on the same day, a short film titled “Stop Violations Against Journalists” to be screened at 6:00 PM, followed by live testimonies from journalists who have faced violations at the hands of the Ministry of Interior.
Long live the struggle of journalists… Long live press freedom.