Court Upholds Ruling Ordering “Roayah News Network” to Pay EGP 178,000 in Compensation to Journalist for Arbitrary Dismissal
On April 14, 2025, the 11th Labor Circuit of the Cairo Court of Appeal issued its ruling in Appeals Nos. 2982 and 6587 of Judicial Year 141, rejecting the appeals filed by both “Roayah News Network” and journalist Mahmoud T. The court upheld the first-instance judgment, which ordered the network to pay the journalist EGP 178,000 in compensation for arbitrary dismissal, in addition to payment in lieu of the notice period and accrued leave balance.
The journalist commenced employment with Roayah News Network on December 1, 2011, with a monthly salary of EGP 5,500. On July 29, 2022, he was denied entry to the workplace by the newspaper’s security personnel without any legal justification, in contravention of the Labor Law and the Press Regulation Law.
In July 2022, a group of dismissed journalists submitted a collective complaint to the Agouza Police Station and the competent Labor Office after being barred from accessing the newspaper’s premises. Following the failure of amicable settlement efforts, the dispute was referred to the Labor Court, where the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) provided legal representation.
On February 29, 2024, the court rendered its judgment, ordering the respondent to pay EGP 121,000 as compensation for arbitrary dismissal, EGP 16,500 in lieu of the notice period, and EGP 40,792 for accrued leave entitlements. The court further ordered the respondent to deliver the claimant’s personnel file and certificate of experience, and to bear all litigation expenses and attorneys’ fees. Both parties appealed the ruling; however, the Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court’s decision in full.
This ruling constitutes the second appellate judgment in connection with the case. Previously, on September 24, 2024, the Cairo Court of Appeal issued its decision in Appeal No. 8492 of Judicial Year 140, in favor of journalist Mohamed A. against Roaya News Network. The court rejected the network’s appeal and upheld the first-instance judgment awarding the journalist EGP 181,000 in compensation for arbitrary dismissal, the notice period, and accrued leave.
Over the past two years, the ECESR has secured 13 judicial rulings from the North Giza Primary Court in favor of journalists formerly employed by Roayah News Network. These rulings have consistently held the network liable for compensating the journalists for arbitrary termination, in addition to entitlements related to notice periods and unused leave.
