Tawfiq Okasha

From Censorpedia

Tawfiq okasha show.jpg

Artist: Tawfiq Okasha

Year: 2012

Date of Action: August 2012

Region:

Location: Cairo, Egypt

Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion

Medium: Television

Confronting Bodies: The Government of Egypt

Description of Artwork: Tawfiq Okasha was a talk show host and owner of Al-Faraeen satellite channel. Okasha often expressed strong anti-Morsy (Egypt's first president after Mubarak's regime was toppled in 2011.

The Incident: Okasha's channel was put on hiatus for one month, and Okasha is facing charges for "broadcasting anti-Muslim Brotherhood content, as well as inciting President Mohamed Morsy's assassination, slander, broadcasting false information, disturbing public safety and intimidating citizens." [1]

Results of Incident: On 22 October 2012, Okasha was convicted of insulting President Mohamed Mursi and sentenced to a four-month jail term and a fine of 100 Egyptian pounds (US$16.39). Okasha remained free while appealing the sentence. Amnesty International protested the conviction, calling it "a further blow to freedom of expression" and noting that the organization would consider Okasha a prisoner of conscience were he imprisoned on this basis.

Source:
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/rights-group-urges-lawyers-defend-okasha



See also http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/okasha-s-trial-set-1-september and http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/okasha-under-investigation-his-tv-channel-suspended

Egypt TV host gets jail term for insulting president

Egypt: Broadcaster’s conviction another blow to freedom of expression