[Iran Press TV] The former Egyptian army chief and current presidential candidate, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has warned newspaper editors not to press for freedom of speech and other rights.
Sisi, the likely winner of the election later this month, gave the warning during a meeting with editors of major newspapers on Thursday.
He said demands for greater freedom would jeopardize national security, calling on the senior editors not to press for dramatic reforms in state institutions by exposing corruption, and to give officials time to do their jobs.
"Give officials a chance for, say, four months," Sisi said, adding, "If you have information or a subject you need to whisper in the ear [of officials], it is possible to do that without exposing it."
Journalists have reportedly been the target of Egyptian authorities as part of a broader crackdown on dissent over the past months. |