Egypt fares poorly in 2015 press freedom index

Egypt ranked near the bottom of the 2015 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, coming in at 158 out of 180 countries in a list topped by Finland, Norway and Denmark.

Although Egypt did rise one position in the index since last year, “the curbs on freedom of information are as worrying as ever,” wrote the Paris-based organization.

Journalists have been targeted by governments worldwide for covering controversial issues like religion, demonstrations and national security, Reporters Without Borders said, but the group took President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration to task in particular. The report castigated his government for using its war on terror as a pretext to target media institutions affiliated with or sympathetic to the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.

Furthermore, at least 30 journalists were arbitrarily arrested in 2014 on charges of organizing or participating in protests, according to the report, “and the authorities continue to use spurious grounds for keeping them in detention.”

Egypt has consistently fallen in the press freedom rankings since 2002, when it came in at 101. The country then slid several points to 110 in 2003, slipped again down to 128 in 2004 and then plummeted to 143 in 2005. In both 2012 and 2013 Egypt ranked at 158, while in 2014 it fell down one position to 159.

Attacks on press freedoms have intensified since the military-backed removal of former President Mohamed Morsi from power in 2013. Since then, the newly installed authorities have swiftly passed a slew of legislation severely constricting the right to protest, peaceful assembly and association. They’ve also ratified new anti-terrorism laws that impose harsh sentences on receiving foreign funds — all bills that have been passed in the absence of parliament. Concomitantly, police violations against journalists and rights activists have been on the rise.

Three Al Jazeera English staff members were sentenced from seven to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of belonging to and aiding a terrorist organization and spreading false news. Australian correspondent Peter Greste has been extradited to his home country, but after the Appeals Court threw out the initial verdict against them, his Egyptian colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed are facing a retrial.

Journalist Ahmed Gamal Zyada was just acquitted on Wednesday after being in prison for over 480 days on charges related to committing violent acts. Photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, better known as Shawkan, is still behind bars on similar charges.