Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi addressed the issue of articles published in al-Masry al-Youm newspaper about Sinai, described by officials as a “violation of the constitution.”
During an inauguration of several national projects to the east of Suez Canal, Sisi addressed the controversy over the articles written by the daily’s founder Salah Diab and published under the pen name “Newton.”
The column article suggested that Sinai should be assigned a governor with expanded powers to better govern the peninsula, after which Diab admitted in an article published Friday that terms used did not express what he intended to say.
The newspaper is now facing major penalties and its case has been referred to the Attorney General.
Sisi said that the articles mentioned some ideas, which are appreciated, however, he hoped they were more aware of the achievements done in Sinai over the past years, adding that the information should have been clear and accurate.
He asserted that those who responded to the articles should not accuse opposing views of “having personal agendas.”
The President wished those who were talking about Sinai were aware of what the state had done, adding that up to LE600 billion were spent on Sinai's development, which had no revenues.
Earlier, Egypt’s Supreme Media Council fined the daily LE250,000 over the op-ed and ordered the paper to remove the piece from its website and issue an official apology.
Al-Masry al-Youm was also required to suspend publishing Newton’s opinion pieces for one month, and the newspaper instantly deleted the article.
The Council said the newspaper has committed serious violations to the constitution, the law, and the code of ethics, by leading a systematic campaign that spreads discord. It also referred the case to the public prosecutor
