Egypt to revise anti-terror media law

Cairo 

Egypt on Wednesday agreed to revise a controversial article of its touted anti-terror law threatening journalists with jail for reporting anything but the official line on jihadist attacks, state media reported.

The planned law sparked a backlash from Egyptian media after it included an article threatening at least two years in prison for publishing "false information on terrorist attacks that contradict official statements".

The bill is part of tough measures demanded by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as part of a crackdown on militants who have bedevilled the country since the army's ouster of his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Egypt's cabinet on Wednesday agreed to remove the threat of jail under Article 33 of the law, but replaced it with a heavy fine, the MENA news agency reported.

"The cabinet has agreed... to remove the prison sentence under Article 33 and replace it by strengthening the fine, which can range from 200,000 to 500,000 Egyptian pounds (between 23,000 and 58,000 euros, $25,500 to $64,000)," MENA said, quoting government spokesman Hossam al-Qawish. 

But an official from the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, Khaled al-Balchi, said the revision just created "another type of imprisonment" as the fine would still be far beyond the means of most journalists.