Editor-in-chief of Al-Dostour, a private daily newspaper, Islam Afify (Photo:Reuters)
The trial of Islam Afify, the editor-in-chief of Al-Dostour newspaper, has been postponed until 16 September.
Afify is accused of insulting President Mohamed Morsi and publishing inaccurate information.
The Giza Criminal Court announced the decision on Thursday to give Afify’s lawyers time to prepare their defence.
The judge put Afify on remand, sparking anger from his lawyers and colleagues inside the court.
Afify had earlier received a travel ban after several people filed legal complaints claiming Al-Dostour newspaper had incited sectarian strife in Dahshour in the Giza governorate, where sectarian clashes occurred in early August, and had insulted the president.
The 11 August editions of the privately-owned daily were also confiscated from the paper's offices following a decision by the head of the Giza Primary Court last week, based on the same complaints.
The action against Al-Dostour and other journalists has raised fears about press freedom in Egypt.
Activists, including those critical of the newspaper, have condemned the court's decision as a violation of freedom of speech.
Others journalists also facing trial for "insulting the president," include the editor-in-chief of Egyptian weekly Sawt Al-Omma, Abdel-Halim Qandeel, and editor-in-chief of the weekly Al-Fagr, Adel Hamouda.
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