Archive for Khaled Suleiman

A Cairo court acquitted on Tuesday controversial media figure Tawfiq Okasha of charges of insulting President Mohamed Morsy.

The Nasr City Misdemeanors Court found Okasha, head of Al-Faraeen TV channel, not guilty of insulting the president in his talk show Egypt Today.

State-run Al-Ahram’s website reported that this case was one of 30 filed against Okasha over statements he made that were critical of Morsy.

Party paper Al-Wafd’s website quoted Okasha defense lawyer, Khaled Suleiman, as saying that the ruling reflects the fairness of the Egyptian judiciary.

Okasha, who is known for his harsh criticism of the Muslim Brotherhood and its political rise since the 25 January revolution, said weeks after Morsy’s victory that his presence in the presidential palace was illegal.

The Al-Faraeen channel was suspended on 16 August, with authorities threatening to revoke the channel’s license if it did not make programming changes.

Okasha also faces criminal charges in another trial for defaming and attempting to incite the killing of Morsy. The criminal trial will be resumed on 7 November.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Dozens of supporters of the controversial TV host Tawfik Okasha staged a demonstration on Saturday outside the office of the public prosecutor and the High Court. They protested the suspension of Okasha's Faraeen Channel and his being interrogated on charges of inciting violence against President Mohamed Morsy.

"No to oppression and injustice," read some banners. Other slogans included: "60 years of injustice," "Rule to the people, Morsy," and "No to the closure of Faraeen Channel."

Some of the protesters raised images for deceased former Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman, others raised Egyptian flags and made victory signs while chanting against Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood.

The rally caused traffic congestion for nearly half an hour outside the High Court. Police ended a few altercations between protesters and reporters.

Meanwhile, Okasha's lawyer Khaled Suleiman said that Okasha had received death threats from "banned" groups.

"We will not give in to continued attempts that seek to undermine the free media and the press which say the word of truth, and the demonstrators will flock daily to the High Court [for protest], until the end of interrogations with Okasha, and until Faraeen Channel, which represents a wide range of Egyptians, is reopened," Suleiman said.

State security prosecutors began investigations after three reports were filed against Okasha, accusing him of inciting his viewers to attempt to murder Morsy and of supporting a military coup d'état.

Edited transaltion from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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