Egypt: “There is no media freedom – only journalists defying the regime”

May 10, 2013 | International Media Support (IMS)

Two years after the revolution in Egypt, the country’s media is yet to be revolutionised, says Rasha Abdulla, Associate Professor and Chair of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo

While the current political instability gives room for people to speak out, it should not be mistaken for free speech, Abdulla told IMS at the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Mediterranean Forum in Marseille.

What is the current level of press freedom in Egypt?

“There is no freedom whatsoever. Journalists write what they want and criticize the president, but not because laws guarantee their freedom but because they are defying the authorities who tell them not to. Freedom is to know you are protected by the constitution. But if you say something the president won’t like and two hours later have a lawsuit hanging over your head, that’s not freedom. It’s a high risk people take every day.

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Instant Twitter reporting on Lebanese election violations

Jun. 4, 2012 | International Media Support (IMS)

Tweeting from every corner of Lebanon, election monitors reported instantly on incidents of intimidation, illegal campaigning and corruption during recent municipal elections

When Lebanon held its municipal elections in May this year, the local NGO, the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) used Twitter to foster fairer elections through instant reporting on violations of basic election rules. Describing the benefits of using Twitter, Executive Director of LADE, Yara Nassar says:

“It’s strategically valuable and very user friendly for people who are already familiar with it. And for us as monitors it gives us verification of violations through pictures and reports instantly”

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