A private satellite channel in Egypt fired a talk show host on Sunday for reporting on a newspaper article that was highly critical of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).
Dina Abdel Rahman, host of the "Sabah Dream" show on Dream Satellite Channel, was fired after she presented a newspaper article written by journalist Najla Bedeir in which she criticized SCAF member Major General Hassan al-Ruwainy.
Reportedly, Ruwainy told Al-Jazeera news channel on Saturday that the 6 April Youth Movement had received foreign funding to undermine the state, and that its members received training in Serbia, without clarifying the nature of such training.
Major General Abdel Moneim Kato, adviser at the Armed Forces Department of Moral Affairs, called the show and told Abdel Rahman that Bedeir was "subjective" and "subversive".
Kato also accused two presidential candidates in this year’s elections of being “agents” and receiving money from abroad, without disclosing their names.
Asserting freedom of the press, Abdel Rahman asked the military council to provide evidence for the allegations.
She also hosted Khaled al-Balshy, chief editor of the leftist Al-Badeel news website, who said statements by military council members had sparked the attacks on demonstrators in the Abbasseya district on Saturday.
Jehan Abul Ela, the talk show's producer, said channel owner Ahmed Bahgat fired Abdel Rahman after the episode was aired.
