An Egyptian court on Sunday threw out a decision by the press association to revoke the membership of Mamdouh Mahran, the editor charged with incitement after his paper, An Nabaa, stirred a sex scandal that enraged Coptic Christians.
An Nabaa's graphic account in June of the antics of a defrocked monk triggered riots by the Copts, who by some estimates make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population. The paper was blamed for rocking already delicate relations between Christians and Muslims.
According to press reports, the court said the union's decision to expel Mahran and his son Hatem violated the law.
In an urgent session on June 22, the council of the Egyptian Press Association decided to revoke the membership of Mahran and his son.
But the decision was not based of the publishing of the sex scandal article. Rather, it was based on an article in the association’s bylaws that prohibits members from owning shares in newspapers, Yahya Qallash, secretary general of the union, earlier told Albawaba.com.
The decision was meant to bar Mahran from assuming a top position at an Egyptian publication, since union membership is a prerequisite for such jobs.
The decision was apparently taken to placate angry Copts who found the union and the government's steps against Mahran and his paper to be unsatisfactory.
However, it was expected to stir a controversy due to the fact that key journalists in Egypt are partners in newspapers and other publications.
But the court found Sunday that Mahran and his son had sold the offending shares.
Sayed Abu Zeid, the union's lawyer, told reporters Sunday that he would appeal the verdict.
In a separate court action, prosecutors charged Mahran with inciting sectarian conflict - Albawaba.com
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