The Counter-Revolution Escalates Its Assault on the Journalists’ Syndicate

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists

Once again, the counter-revolutionary authorities have demonstrated their outright hostility to freedom in all its forms.

Today’s court ruling against the head of the Journalists’ Syndicate, its secretary, and its deputy—sentencing them to two years in prison and imposing a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds—is not just a targeted punishment. It is part of a calculated effort to suppress dissent and opposition.
The absurdity of this ruling is exposed by the fact that the journalists whom the syndicate leaders were accused of sheltering had already been released. This highlights that the law was not the foundation for this unprecedented decision to imprison the head of the Journalists’ Syndicate for the first time in its history.

As the state introduces new press and media legislation, this ruling appears to be a deliberate attempt to sideline the syndicate from its natural role in shaping laws that protect journalists. Instead, the process is being monopolized by the counter-revolution and its parliament.

This ruling is part of a broader campaign against journalists and their syndicates. It follows the storming of the syndicate’s headquarters, the arrest of journalists Amr Badr and Mahmoud Al-Saqqa from within its premises, the repeated targeting of journalists during their work, and their unjust imprisonment. Moreover, this verdict comes just months before the syndicate’s elections, aiming to crush any resistance ahead of the vote and ensuring that the next council and syndicate head will align entirely with the counter-revolution’s agenda.

The Revolutionary Socialists affirm their unwavering solidarity with the Journalists’ Syndicate, its head, deputy, and secretary. They also emphasize the critical need to continue the fight against the counter-revolution’s dominance over the mechanisms for drafting press and media laws and its increasing control over the syndicate council.

Furthermore, the Revolutionary Socialists call on journalists to sustain and expand their recent efforts to organize and confront the severe impact of the counter-revolution’s economic policies on their livelihoods and the future of the press.

This revision ensures that the translation is accurate, clear, concise, and faithful to the tone and message of the original text. Let me know if further refinements are needed.