Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression

Choosing El Marakbi for the constitutional committee A new manipulation of students will

emadxtc — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 09:38:43 +0000

AFTE strongly condemns the undemocratic nomination of Ahmed Ayman El Markbi as students’ representative in the drafting committee of the new Egyptian constitution. The rationale behind his nomination was vague, not transparent and based on lies claiming that he was the chair of the Egyptian students’ parliament, while he is only a representative of the Mansoura parliament of El Mansoura students. According to Mostafa Ashraf from the Faculty of Medicine, EL Menya university El Marakbi was chosen since he was the son of the secretary general of the Freedom and Justice party in Damietta as well as the nephew of Dr. Mohamed Morsi, the secretary general of the party, a fact denied by both El Marakbi and his uncle. Ashraf added that he will contest the membership of El Marakbi and will demand compensation in view of the latter’s false claim that he was the chair of the students’ parliament nationwide.

A sudden decision to hold student elections A new confused step in High Education Policies

emadxtc — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:41:29 +0000

AFTE condemns the consumed and nontransparent nature of ongoing High Education policies, regarding the sudden and unexpected ministerial decision to start procedures for student union elections nationwide based on the old students’ bylaws, resulting in a wave of anger that translated into a protest sit in at Cairo university and demonstrations in several Egyptian universities.

AFTE sues German University in Cairo over expulsion of two students

emadxtc — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:55:26 +0000

AFTE strongly condemns the arbitrary decision by the German university in Cairo to expel five students. Two of the students were permanently expelled, Amr Abdel Wahab and Hassan Othman Ziko, while the other three, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Mostafa Ahmed Eissa and Abdel Hamid Abu Zeid Abdel Hamid were expelled for two weeks, because of activities organized on campus. Those activities included a memorial service for their colleague Karim Khozam, a martyr of Port Said incidents, as well as chanting against the military.

Wanton violation of students’ right to self determination Ministry of Higher Education issues students bylaws without their consultation

emadxtc — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:01:59 +0000

AFTE strongly condemns the ministerial decree issued by the ministry of higher education yesterday endorsing new students bylaws, regulating students’ movements and activities inside Egyptian universities.

News leaking over the past few days that the minister of higher education was preparing the bylaws without the knowledge or consultation of students had stirred protest actions in several universities, example of which is the collective resignation of the student’s union of the faculty of medicine, Alexandria university protesting the minister’s intention to endorse the bylaws through a ministerial decree without a nationwide referendum among students.

Freedom to Nile News AFTE condemns the persecution of Egyptian TV media staff Media Freedom Program

emadxtc — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:19:16 +0000

AFTE expresses its full solidarity with Ihab El Mergawi, director at Nile News channel against the intimidation and administrative punitive measures that started against him on Thursday the 9^th of February. El Mergawi had raised a banner of “Freedom to Nile News’ in the background of the studio during the broadcast of “El Mashhad” program on Nile News. He was fist suspended from work for 15 days and then referred to a disciplinary committee on Sunday the 19^th of February at 1 p.m. at the office of legal affairs

Orchestrated campaign against human rights organizations: Facts absent; the public intentionally misled

emadxtc — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:32:36 +0000

The undersigned organizations strongly condemn the ongoing slandering and intimidation of civil society organizations, particularly human rights groups, and note that the referral of 43 Egyptian and foreign nationals to a criminal court is politically motivated. The affected institutions have been operating for several years without being asked to suspend their activities and without their offices being shut down. Moreover, in October the Egyptian government asked two of these organizations to monitor the parliamentary elections,

AFTE releases its report Maspero Crimes Inciting violence and sectarian tensions.. Misleading public opinion

emadxtc — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:35:27 +0000

AFTE released a thematic report concerning the performance of the radio and TV union in covering some important events, foremost the Maspero events last October and the Mohamed Mahmud street events last November. The report addresses the many accusations of incitement and misinformation of official mass media after the 25^th of January revolution, especially the Radio and TV union, the only governmental body which monopolizes the official mass media channels which constitute 58% of all media channels according to a report produced by the center for the support of decision making in 2010, i.e

SCAF incites public against protesters

emadxtc — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:39:45 +0000

AFTE strongly condemns statements by general Abdel Moneim Kato, SCAF consultant for morale affairs to El Shoruk daily Egyptian newspaper in its 19 December 2011 issue where the newspaper quoted the military consultant as saying “the media protects the criminals” asking the Shoruk interviewer “How do you sympathize with misfit kids who should be burnt in Hitler’s ovens?”

AFTE demands that officials provide accurate information regarding gas used against protesters

emadxtc — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 11:40:43 +0000

AFTE demands that official bodies, specifically the ministries of health and interior and the supreme council of military forces provide clear and accurate information concerning the tear gas recently used in dispersing the Tahrir sit in and in the Mohamed Mahmud confrontation between protesters and central security forces.

Crisis of Human Rights in Egypt The Bitter Results of Ten Months in the Grip of the Military

emadxtc — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:43:57 +0000

On the 19^th of November, 2011, Egyptians took to the streets and squares of Egypt once more in peaceful protest, demanding a true civil, democratic state consistent with their dreams of last January. These peaceful, unarmed protestors were met with excessive force by police and soldiers of the armed forces, leading to the deaths of dozens of Egyptians and the injury of more than 3000 others.