Raid on the premises of Radio Horytna and arrest of its Chief Editor Ahmed Samih
Paris – Geneva, 9 April 2015 - The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) and theObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme ofFIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), strongly condemn the raid on the premises of RadioHorytna and the arrest of Mr Ahmed Samih, Director of the Andalus Institutefor Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies (AITAS) and Chief Editor of the radio.AITAS is a member organisation of EMHRN, working to promote a culture oftolerance, anti-violence and respect for human rights in the MENA region. RadioHorytna is an online radio program established in 2007 at the initiative ofAITAS to reach youth audience. EMHRN and the Observatory consider that thisconstitutes a blatant violation of the right to freedom of expression and ispart of a wider pattern of persecution and intimidation against human rights defendersin Egypt.
OnSaturday 4 April, around ten members of the Egyptian police force raided theheadquarters of Radio Horytna in Cairo. Without an arrest or a search warrant, thepolice searched the premises, interrogated the staff, and confiscated threecomputers and one microphone. One of the key questions raised concerned thenews content and their political affiliations, although the key focus of theradio is to broadcast human rights-related news.
Accordingto the information received, Mr Ahmed Samih was detained and brought to SayedaZeinab police station, where he was subjected to a four-hour interrogationuntil 3am, followed by a six hour interrogation the following day. He wasdetained for more than 24 hours and released on bail of LE 5,000 (around 600euros) on the evening of Sunday 5 April. Mr Ahmed Samih was accused ofviolating the provisions of Law No. 82 of 2002 (Law on the Protection ofIntellectual Property) and law No. 10 of 2003 (Telecommunication RegulationLaw) under the following charges:
1- Establishing and running communication networks and providingcommunication services without a licence;
2- Broadcasting audio and visual materials without a licence;
3- Displaying audio and visual materials in a public place withoutpermission from the Ministry of Culture;
4- Using protected audio and visual materials without written permission(this is the intellectual property right related charge);
5- Running an institution (Radio Horytna) without a licence.
However, under Egyptian law, a licence for establishingonline radio stations or broadcasting materials on the Internet is notrequired.
EMHRN andthe Observatory urge the Egyptian authorities to immediately stop their ongoingjudicial harassment and repression against human rights defenders and independenthuman rights organisations aimed at closing remaining spaces for freedom of assembly, expression and association inEgypt. Egyptian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release allthose detained solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom ofexpression, online and offline.
EMHRN andthe Observatory call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately drop allcharges against Mr Ahmed Samih, return allconfiscated material and allow Radio Horytna to continue its broadcasting activitieswithout further obstruction or harassment.