Freedom of the Press - Egypt (2003)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 30 April 2003 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Egypt (2003), 30 April 2003, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/473450ac23.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Not Free
Legal Environment: 28
Political Influences: 27
Economic Pressures: 24
Total Score: 79
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 66
Religious Groups: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94 percent, Coptic Christian and other (6 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Eastern Hamitic stock [Egyptian, Bedouin, Berber] (99 percent), other (1 percent)
Capital: Cairo
Vaguely worded statutes in the Press Law, the Publications Law, the penal code, and libel laws restrict press freedom. Direct criticism of the president, his family, or the military, as well as criticism of foreign heads of state, can result in imprisonment and the closure of publications. The government owns and operates most television and radio stations. However, control over the broadcast media was slightly diminished this year as Al-Mihwar, the country's first independent television channel, began broadcasting. Three major dailies are owned in part by the state, and the president appoints their editor. The Internet is widely available, and the government does not significantly monitor or censor content. Although there are a number of privately owned print media outlets, the government exercises indirect control over them through its monopoly on printing and distribution.