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Egypt: CFJ condemns arbitrary dismissal of journalist Ahmed Saad by “ONA” and calls for transparent investigation and constructive dialogue

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Press Release

 

The Committee for Justice (CFJ) observed that the management of the “Consulto” website, affiliated with “ONA for Journalism and Media,” issued an arbitrary dismissal decision on Sunday, October 13, 2024, against journalist Ahmed Saad after eight years of service with the organization.

 

– Arbitrary dismissal:

Saad stated that the reasons for his dismissal began after he published an investigative report titled “Death in Silence: How Heart Diseases Steal the Lives of Young People” on the “Masrawy” website, another platform under the “ONA” umbrella. He added that the editorial managers of “Consulto” considered publishing the report without their prior approval a breach of internal procedures, leading to its removal by Editor-in-Chief Maha Bahnasawy.

Subsequently, the Chief Editor of the organization, journalist Magdy El-Galad, instructed the report’s republication and initiated an investigation into the matter. Despite this, Saad was informed of his dismissal on August 31, 2024, but did not take it seriously at the time, assuming the issue required an official investigation and prior notification.

Saad explained that the editorial management stopped communicating with him at the end of September and withheld his September salary, prompting him to file a complaint at the Agouza Police Station and submit formal grievances to the Labor Office and the Journalists’ Syndicate.

 

– Calls to end arbitrary actions and open dialogue:

Editor-in-Chief Maha Bahnasawy stated that the collaboration contract with the journalist had ended, denying any arbitrary dismissal. She indicated that Saad had been aware of the end of their collaboration since August and had not submitted any journalistic work during September. The organization is now awaiting the Journalists’ Syndicate’s decision on the incident.

CFJ strongly opposes what it described as arbitrary actions against journalist Ahmed Saad and calls for the immediate cessation of such measures, urging a transparent investigation to ensure their compliance with Egyptian labor and press laws, as well as professional standards within media institutions.

Additionally, CFJ calls on the management of “ONA for Journalism and Media” to engage in constructive dialogue with Saad to reach a fair resolution that preserves his rights and ensures the organization’s continued ability to fulfill its media role without resorting to actions that could harm employees’ interests.

For more information and media requests or inquiries, please get in touch with us (+41229403538 / media@cfjustice.org)

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