Egypt's press council supports sacked editor

Egypt's supreme press council has backed Al-Gomhurriya newspaper’s chief editor Gamal Abdel Rahim, who was sacked for publishing false news about members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Gamal Abdel Rahim was sacked after publishing the story on Wednesday. But the editor has now been backed by the press council. Press council member Suliman KenawyKenawy said: "The majority of the council members are supporting Gomhuria chief editor Gamal Abdul Rahim after issuing a decree to suspend him," following an urgent council committee meeting on Sunday. Kenawy told Arabstoday "the suspension decree is not equal to the size of the mistake; this kind of punishment can only be applied in the case of honour crimes or abuse crimes." Supreme council members are looking for the appropriate punishment to match the mistake. It is difficult for a chief editor to distinguish lies from the truth in every story in the newspaper, especially within the work pressure of a daily major state newspaper such as Al-Gomhurriya, added Kenawy.