Cairo - The Egyptian Press Syndicate Thursday criticised a fatwa by Mohamed Sayed Tantawi of Grand Azhar Imam - the highest authority in Egypt - stipulating that journalists convicted of publishing crimes should receive 80 lashes. "It was as if Sheikh Tantawi is part of a campaign against the press, journalists and people who have an opinion," the syndicate statement said.
Tantawi gave other opinions including the revocation of any convicted journalist's testimony in court, which "alienates them from the society and sentences them to a civil execution."
Tantawi had earlier given his fatwa following a series of cases against journalists, giving his opinions in the presence of President Hosny Mubarak during a celebration of the victory in the 1973 war.
His fatwa stirred outrage among many journalists and independent and opposition newspapers.
Senior writer Fahmy Howaidi criticised Tantawi in statements published in independent al-Masry al-Youm newspaper, saying "he wore many hats and at the time he gave this fatwa, he put on that of the authorities."
Eleven journalists and editors-in-chief of opposition and independent newspapers have been sentenced to prison or fines over the last month on charges of publishing "fake news," "insulting icons of the ruling party" and "spreading rumours." Their appeals are under way.
Twenty-three Egyptian independent and opposition newspapers did not publish last Sunday, in protest at verdicts passed against journalists.
Lashings - part of punishments under Islamic Sharia law for special crimes - are not carried out in Egypt.
