埃及新反恐法引发担忧

AS IT IS 2015-07-10 Egypt’s New Anti-Terror Law Raising Concerns 埃及新反恐法引发担忧

Egyptian journalists are criticizing the country's new anti-terrorism legislation. The measure makes it illegal to publish news reports that conflict with the government's version of events in cases involving terrorism.

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 and one narrative¹."

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 data about any terrorist operations that contradicts the official statements released by the relevant authorities." Courts would be required to sentence violators to at least two years in prison.

The cabinet approval comes just days after the Egyptian president promised strong methods for fighting terrorism. He spoke² after the murder of the country's top public prosecutor³. The official died in a car bombing last month in Cairo.

Last week, local and foreign media reported on an organized attack by Islamic State militants⁴ in North Sinai. The government's count of soldiers killed in the attacks was far different from what local and foreign media reported. Rights activists⁵ say the two versions of events are likely to have influenced the government to act.

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

The group added that the law removes the right of journalists to gather information "from different sources and limits it to one side." In its words, "this is a clear setback⁶ for freedom of thought and press."

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

Egypt's justice minister, Ahmed el-Zind, told the French news service that the government had no other choice. "The government has the duty to defend citizens from wrong information," he said. "I hope no one [sees] this as a restriction⁷ on media freedoms. It's just about numbers."

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

The new law is the latest fight between Egypt's media and its government and civil society. The Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 18 journalists are currently in jail in Egypt for different reasons. Three Al-Jazeera journalists have been accused of terrorism. They were given a conditional⁸ release 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's embassy 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 outlets⁹ to censor¹⁰ critical voices," the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

Two years ago street protests led the military to oust¹¹ the elected President Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist. Since then, the government has announced laws it says are necessary because of threats from Islamic militants. The government has arrested thousands of members of the Muslim Brotherhood¹². The government accuses the group of helping¹³ terrorists and being involved in terrorism.

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 Ministry¹⁴ of Defense¹⁵ accused Al-Jazeera and some competing television stations of aiding "anti-military propaganda."

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

Rights groups have criticized other parts of the proposed law. They say it requires jails terms for supporting "terrorist crimes" or writing or broadcasting anything "disrupting the course of justice." The law would ban recording¹⁶ or broadcasting any part of a trial without court approval.

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

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

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

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 support the 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 an organization

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

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

1 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

7 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

8 conditional   

adj.条件的，带有条件的

参考例句：

• My agreement is conditional on your help.你肯帮助我才同意。
• There are two forms of most-favored-nation treatment:conditional and unconditional.最惠国待遇有两种形式:有条件的和无条件的。

9 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 censor   

n./vt.审查，审查员；删改

参考例句：

• The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
• The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

11 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

12 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

13 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

14 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

16 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。