Egypt warns media to take care in coverage amid protests

CAIRO — Egypt’s media authority warns that it is monitoring coverage to ensure they abide by “professional codes,” amid a rare burst of protests against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The warning comes hours after the latest small protest was dispersed by police in clouds of tear gas.

In its statement issued today, the State Information Service, which accredits foreign media representatives, says it has “carefully monitored” the coverage of the protest.

It calls for reporters to “strictly abide by professional codes of conduct” and for media to provide a space for “viewpoints to be presented in an equal manner and that includes the viewpoint of the State or who represents it.” The SIS has issued similar statements in the past surrounding sensitive events.

It also warns that “social media outlets should not be considered as sources of news,” because of the numerous “fake accounts and fabrications.”

The new protests emerge from an online campaign, led by an Egyptian businessman living in self-imposed exile who has presented himself as a whistleblower against corruption. His calls for demonstrations come at a time when Egypt’s lower and middle classes have been badly squeezed by years of economic reforms and austerity measures.

— AP