Head of the Syndicate of Journalists Khaled El-Balshy. Photo courtesy of Kahled El-Balshy
In a post on his official Facebook page late Wednesday, El-Balshy said he had reviewed the cabinet’s statement on plans to strengthen the state’s mechanisms for countering rumours and false news.
He added that while the statement “is not sufficient for an accurate reading,” it raises serious concerns about the proposed approach.
According to El-Balshy, the government seems to be “choosing the reverse path” by focusing first on stricter penalties rather than implementing constitutional requirements for access to information.
“The constitution has drawn a clear route for us,” he wrote, noting the need for laws that guarantee freedom to obtain information and prohibit custodial sentences for publishing.
Fines may be considered, he said, but must not become “a route to imprisonment” or lead to newspaper closures, which would undermine the tools needed to expose and correct falsehoods.
El-Balshy said the constitution already provides a framework for addressing rumours by mandating free circulation of information and requiring those who publish or transfer information to correct inaccuracies or face penalties.
He emphasized that this must be paired with lifting constraints on journalists and removing the fear of custodial penalties.
He warned that increasing fines without safeguards risks turning into “a tool for killing the truth” or for suppressing those who report it by shutting down the means of making information publicly accessible due to unaffordable, excessively inflated penalties.
“The penalty for a false report is to correct it,” he said.
Excessive punishment, he added, does not stop misinformation and may encourage it by deterring journalists from publishing.
“Rumours are confronted by publishing facts and making them accessible, not by penalties,” he stressed.
In this digital age, he noted, no amount of punishment can stop misinformation if accurate information is withheld. “The only way to respond is to make information available and freely circulated so that falsehoods can be rebutted.”
El-Balshy said the government should immediately draft laws required under Articles 68 and 71 of the constitution, remove restrictions on journalistic work, and complete a framework guaranteeing freedom of publication.
Only then, he said, could penalties be considered without restricting information.
He called for joint action between the government and media to build a transparent information system, stressing that laws enabling access to information are “the shortest and most effective path” to counter rumours, false news, and misleading content.
El-Balshy’s remarks came in response to a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly discussed proposals to amend the Penal Code, including increasing fines for spreading false information and clarifying definitions of misinformation offences.
The discussions also covered updating regulations for official statements and crisis communication to ensure verified and timely public messaging.
A statement issued after the meeting said the government is advancing plans to expand public access to official data, including preparations for a long-delayed law on access to information, which remained pending despite a constitutional mandate requiring transparency and the free flow of information.
The proposed framework is expected to regulate how government bodies disclose data, outline citizens’ and journalists’ rights to information, and set mechanisms for appeals when access is denied.
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