And The Military court gives Mohamed Sabry Suspended Jail Term

An Ismailia military court sentenced Sinai based journalist and dear friend Mohamed Sabry a suspended six months in jail for filming military areas in Sinai.

Sabry, a Sinai based journalist and a member of the “No to military trials” campaign was arrested in January 2013 and was accused of filming military areas on the borders.

This is the third military court’s verdict concerning an Egyptian journalist issued by a military court in less than a month. He is also the first journalist from Sinai to be prosecuted in front of military court. Sabry was arrested in time of Morsi too.

By the way Sabry’s camera, a Canon 6D was confiscated since his arrest and has not been returned to him yet.

On 5 October, a military court sentenced Sinai-based Al Masry Al Youm newspaper journalist Ahmed Abu-Deraa. Six months in jail. That sentence was later suspended. Abu Daraa was accused of publishing false news and rumors about military operations in Sinai. Abu Daraa praised the military judiciary after his release !!

Last 30 October, another military court sentenced Al Watan newspaper journalist Hatem Abu Nour to a year in prison on Tuesday over allegations that he impersonated military personnel. Abu Nour’s story is very strange because we did not know about it except after his sentence.

Searching online you will find that Hatem disappeared from last August and his brother accused the MB to stand his disappearance then !!

The too close to the military and security apparatuses newspaper Al Watan is now demanding its journalist release.  

The military trials for civilians have been causing a controversy recently as human rights activists demand to ban the military trials for civilians in the upcoming amended constitution.

It is one of the major points the army is insisting in the constitution. For record the Freedoms and rights committee is against it.