VOA慢速英语：埃及新反恐法案令人担忧

Egyptian journalists are criticizing the country's newanti-terrorism legislation. The measure makes it illegal to publish news reportsthat conflict with the government's version of events in cases involvingterrorism.

Men protest to support the release of the journalist Ahmed Mansour in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, June 21, 2015. Mansour, 52, a senior journalist with the Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera, was detained at Tegel airport on Saturday on an Egyptian arrest warrant.

Local reporters say the law will make it more difficult for them to do their jobs.They say the government is only interested in media that has "one opinion andone narrative."

Egypt's cabinet approved the proposed anti-terrorism law last week. However, the law is still waiting for the approval of President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

The measure could be used against anyone who reports "false news or dataabout any terrorist operations that contradicts the official statementsreleased by the relevant authorities." Courts would be required to sentenceviolators to at least two years in prison.

The cabinet approval comes just days after the Egyptian president promisedstrong methods for fighting terrorism. He spoke after the murder of thecountry's top public prosecutor. The official died in a car bombing last monthin Cairo.

Last week, local and foreign media reported on an organized attack by IslamicState militants in North Sinai. The government's count of soldiers killed in theattacks was far different from what local and foreign media reported. Rightsactivists say the two versions of events are likely to have influenced thegovernment to act.

The Egyptian Journalist's Syndicate represents journalists and other mediaworkers in the country. The syndicate said the new law does more than justfight terrorism. It claimed the measure also attempts to control "freedom of thepress."

The group added that the law removes the right of journalists to gatherinformation "from different sources and limits it to one side." In its words, "this is a clear setback for freedom of thought and press."

The anti-terrorism draft law lists more than 25 crimes. Twelve of them arepunishable by death.

Egypt's justice minister, Ahmed el-Zind, told the French news service that thegovernment had no other choice. "The government has the duty to defendcitizens from wrong information," he said. "I hope no one [sees] this as arestriction on media freedoms. It's just about numbers."

In the recent battles between the military and Islamic extremists, the militaryreported that that no more than 17 soldiers had died. Foreign and local mediareported that between 50 and 70 soldiers were killed.

The new law is the latest fight between Egypt's media and its government andcivil society. The Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 18journalists are currently in jail in Egypt for different reasons. Three Al-Jazeerajournalists have been accused of terrorism. They were given a conditionalrelease from jail, but told to return for trial at a later date. In June, the Cairo-based reporter for a Spanish newspaper El Pais left Egypt after Spain'sembassy warned he might be arrested.

"The threat of [being sent to prison] in Egypt is part of an atmosphere in which[the government] pressure[s] media outlets to censor critical voices," theCommittee to Protect Journalists said.

Two years ago street protests led the military to oust the elected PresidentMohamed Morsi, an Islamist. Since then, the government has announced lawsit says are necessary because of threats from Islamic militants. Thegovernment has arrested thousands of members of the Muslim Brotherhood. The government accuses the group of helping terrorists and being involved interrorism.

Egyptian officials did not hide their anger at the reporting of the Sinai battles. The officials said at least 100 militants died in the fighting. The Ministry ofDefense accused Al-Jazeera and some competing television stations ofaiding "anti-military propaganda."

Local journalists say the anti-terror legislation would violate the country'sconstitution. Gamal Adbel Rehim is theunder-secretary of the Journalists'Syndicate. "The law will [change] journalists into machines automaticallypublishing official statements without thinking," he warned.

Rights groups have criticized other parts of the proposed law. They say itrequires jails terms for supporting "terrorist crimes" or writing or broadcastinganything "disrupting the course of justice." The law would ban recording orbroadcasting any part of a trial without court approval.

Last weekend, former general el-Sissi wore his combat uniform for the firsttime in over a year. He said that the army stopped the Islamic State fromcreating an extremist state (in Sinai Peninsula.)

"No one can [force] on the Egyptians something they don't want," he said. "Toreach the Egyptians they have to pass through the army, the sons of Egypt."

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry blames all the recent violence on the MuslimBrotherhood. The ministry claims the group works with the Islamic State.

I'm Pete Musto.

And I'm Ashley Thompson.

Jamie Dettmer reported on this story from Istanbul. Pete Musto adapted it forLearning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

narrative– n. a story that is told or written

contradict– v. to deny or disagree with what is being said

setback – n. a problem that makes progress less likely

civil society – n. a collection of non-governmental organizations that supportthe interests and opinions of a country's citizens

censor –v. to examine a work for official purposes and remove things that are considered unacceptable

under-secretary– n. an official who is second in command in anorganization

combat – adj. relating to active fighting, especially in a war

checkpoint – n. a place where people and cars are searched before beingallowed to continue