Egypt's law punishes promotion of rumors related to epidemiological situation

CAIRO - 19 December 2022: Egypt's law regarding procedures for confronting epidemics and health pandemics stipulates that those who promote rumors related to the epidemiological situation shall be punished. 

 

The law stipulates the punishment without prejudice to the provisions of Article 29 of the Press and Media Regulation Law and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation promulgated by Law No. 180 of 2018, and with any harsher penalty stipulated in any other law.

 

A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding ten thousand pounds, or one of these two penalties, shall be imposed on whoever incites the violation of any of the measures stipulated in the decision of the Prime Minister issued in accordance with the text of Article (1) of this law or the decisions issued by the committee in implementation of this decision.

 

Anyone who deliberately broadcasts, publishes, or promotes false or malicious news, data, or rumors related to the epidemiological situation, and this would disturb public peace, create panic among citizens, or harm the public interest, shall also be punished with the penalty prescribed in the previous paragraph.