Journalist Gamal Fahmy, Deputy of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate (EJS), summarizes the situation of a profession entering the era of Muslim Brotherhood’s governance. He has fiercely attacked the Brotherhood for trying to control the media.

Journalist Gamal Fahmy, Deputy of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate (EJS), summarizes the situation of a profession entering the era of Muslim Brotherhood’s governance. He has fiercely attacked the Brotherhood for trying to control the media.

A Nasserist journalist, Fahmy was an essential member of the last five sessions of the EJS council. He was renowned for having fiercely opposed and mocked hereditary power, and gained credibility in the press community for empowering journalists to protest injustice in their journalistic institutions.

Following the appointment of the Supreme Press Council (SPC) and of editors in chief affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in national newspapers, Fahmy talks about the future of media under the Brotherhood.

Mr. Fahmy, how do you analyze and explain the choices made by the Shura Council regarding the appointments of editors in chief of national newspapers?

The choices applied the same administrative mentality of the Muslim Brotherhood. It is an attempt to dominate the country using the same methods of Mubarak’s era, with a more severe climate by closing satellite channels and prosecuting journalists. These appointments suggest that state media should remain a mouthpiece of any president or regime. The Egyptian media has played a central and important role after the revolution, during which it budged low expression levels. Yet, fragile and vulnerable legal protection, where media community did not protect its achievement by substantial amendments of journalism laws, has helped the Muslim Brotherhood restrain journalism and journalists.

Some believe that the appointment of an anti-Muslim Brotherhood journalist, Khaled Salah, on the SPC is a democratic feature. Do you agree?

Domination does not necessarily mean that the Muslim Brotherhood alone would appoint all the members of the notorious SPC. You can choose whomever you want as long as you have the majority, and you may appoint an ostensible opponent who is in fact the closest to you. In addition, some opponents are quick to obey new masters. Muslim Brothers are good students of Mubarak, but the student now excels his teacher.

 Some of those appointed are journalists renowned for their opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood in the past. How do you explain this?

Morsi has used Mubarak’s method, which is based on nepotism and ideology. Those appointed are only efficient in foreseeing what the new master demands. Some were used by the Military Council, and most of them are willing to serve in any new regime. They are not related to journalism, which is evidenced in the sales figures of their newspapers. Morsi is using the same old tyrannical ways, and some of those appointed are incompetent.

The current president of EJS has been appointed as chairman of the most important national newspaper, Al Ahram. How it will affect his union performance?

He turned into a Muslim Brotherhood representative in EJS in return for his hostility towards journalism; he has received this financially rewarding position in ‘Al Ahram’. He advocates suppression of press freedoms, standing against journalists in legal disputes with their organizations. He is the first EJS president who was punished with a warning by the EJS council itself. Furthermore, the EJS council includes Jamal Abdulrahim and Ibrahim Abu Kileh who, like him, have been appointed because they are hypocrites.

Do you suggest internal cleavages in the EJS council? What is your attitude as a Deputy President?

The EJS council has imbalances produced by post-revolution elections. The Muslim Brotherhood President of EJS is determined to manage it like a coterie; around him, three or four members carry out the will of the Muslim Brotherhood. Although our opposition front is the largest, we are handcuffed against the practices of the worst EJS President ever.

What is the alternative to SPC?

We and all press specialists have long been demanding that SPC is replaced by an independent and national body and that those press institutions owned by taxpayers and journalists are converted into independent entities that are subject to democratic leadership elections and professional accountability. However, the Muslim Brotherhood is determined to use the same old style of Mubarak and give them to their supporters as if they were their own property. Has the Salafist young man, Nader Bakkar, been worthy of running for SPC? What would happen if he did not apologize?

This is the third time the leaders of national newspapers have been changed since the revolution and some believe it is natural and that elections would not lead to different results?

Any winning political movement, especially if it boasts its opposition to Mubarak’s policies, is supposed to provide an alternative. The Muslim Brotherhood themselves called for democracy when they were in opposition. How can we justify their ignorance of the concept of public interest? They came to power by open swap with the Military Council, a condition of which was to reproduce the same structure of despotism and corruption. Sensing their inability to provide an acceptable alternative, they are fiercely trying to produce the same regime, but the difference this time is that the president leads in prayer.

Some argue that targeting indefensible newspapers or offensive channels was a smart move by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Are you talking about Tawfiq Ukasha, owner of Al Fraeen channel? I oppose his media massage, but I can use the remote control. There are Muslim Brotherhood-owned channels, such as January 25 Channel, and others engineered from the Guidance Office of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr. They even commit professional crimes just like Al Fraeen. Let professionals or the public judge, and do not be politically selective.

The Muslim Brotherhood Minister of Information and SPC head says that it is the last formation and the National Media Council will be the solution.

The rest of his statement says that NMC is subordinate to the president. They are experienced in distorting even the ideas that we have put forth. Do not forget that SPC was set up by Mubarak in the early 1980s, following the British council. Look how it ended. The only solution is that everyone becomes convinced that press freedom is originally right of citizens and we have to go into a struggle against the Muslim Brotherhood based on this rule.