Court Orders El-Mydan Newspaper to Pay EGP 267,000 in Compensation for Arbitrary Dismissal of Journalist
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) has obtained a judgment from the North Giza Court of First Instance ordering El-Mydan newspaper, published by El-Mydan Printing and Publishing House, to pay a total of EGP 267,000 in material and moral compensation to a journalist for arbitrary dismissal. The judgment further obliges the newspaper to pay compensation in lieu of the statutory notice period, settle outstanding salary arrears, and compensate the claimant for accrued unused leave.
Moreover, the court ordered the respondent newspaper to return the claimant’s employment and appointment documentation and to issue an official certificate of experience specifying his professional title and the dates marking the commencement and termination of his employment relationship.
The case was initiated by ECESR on behalf of journalist “Ahmed W.A.” following an incident in April 2024, when he was abruptly prevented from performing his professional duties after security personnel denied him access to the newspaper’s premises without legitimate justification. Such conduct constituted a clear breach of the Egyptian Labour Law and the Press Regulation Law and was incompatible with the professional nature and legal protections afforded to journalistic work.
In response, the journalist filed an official incident report at the competent police station and subsequently lodged a complaint with the Agouza Labour Office, particularly after the newspaper’s online platform ceased operations. Following the failure of amicable settlement efforts, the complaint was referred to the competent labour court, where the case was duly registered before the North Giza Court of First Instance, which ultimately ruled in his favor and awarded compensation for arbitrary dismissal and related financial entitlements.
In a related precedent, ECESR had previously secured a similar judgment from the same court in favor of a female journalist formerly employed by El-Mydan, awarding her EGP 253,000 in compensation for arbitrary dismissal, in addition to compensation in lieu of notice, accrued leave entitlements, and unpaid salary.
The facts of that case likewise date to April 2024, when the journalist was barred from performing her duties after being denied access to the newspaper’s premises without lawful justification, in violation of applicable labour and press legislation and inconsistent with the protections accorded to media professionals. She subsequently filed an incident report at Agouza Police Station and submitted a complaint to the Agouza Labour Office following the closure of the newspaper’s website. After conciliation efforts failed, the case was referred to the competent labour court, which, in its session of 30 July 2025, issued a judgment awarding compensation for arbitrary dismissal and the resulting financial entitlements.
These rulings reinforce the legal principle that arbitrary dismissal constitutes a violation of labour rights and underscores the importance of safeguarding journalists’ professional security, fair working conditions, and access to effective legal remedies. They further highlight the critical role of judicial oversight in protecting the right to work, freedom of the press, and broader economic and social rights within the framework of the rule of law.
