Parliament endorses new press law

The NDP-controlled parliament has passed the govt’s new press law few minutes ago.

I still don’t have details. But it seems, due to pressure from journalists and activists, Mubarak “stepped in” to cancel the proposed article that imprisons journalists who criticize “government officials’ financial integrety.” It seems, however, the HUGE fine that was to accompany the imprisonment is still there in the new law.

I’m going out now, but will try to update the post later in the day.

UPDATE: Here’s a Reuters report on the new “tough press law.”
The law, even with Mubarak’s “last-minute intervention,” is abusive and horrible. With this new press law, and the Administrative Court’s ruling in favor of blocking blogs that “threaten national security”–one can expect The Arabist contributors to join Sharqawi soon in Tora inshallah…

ما تننسوش العيش والحلاوة