Trial of Publisher Hisham Kassem for Defamation of Nahed Ashry Postponed to April 14
The Criminal Champer at the Economic Court decided on Monday, February 10, 2025, to postpone the trial of publisher Hisham Kassem in Case No. 2347 of 2024 (Financial and Economic Misdemeanors) to April 14, 2025, to ensure his formal notification of the proceedings. Kassem faces charges of defamation and libel against former Minister of Manpower Nahed Ashry over a Facebook post.
The first hearing in the case was held on December 11, 2024, before the Fifth Circuit of the court. Neither Kassem nor his lawyer attended, leading the court to adjourn the case until he could be officially summoned.
The case dates back to an August 2023 Facebook post by Kassem, which prompted former Minister of Manpower and Migration Kamal Abu Aita to file a complaint against him. As a result, the Public Prosecution referred Kassem to trial on charges of defamation and libel against Abu Aita, as well as assaulting public employees at Sayeda Zeinab Police Station.
During Kassem’s trial in that case, Nahed Ashry also filed a complaint regarding the same post, leading the prosecution to refer him to trial once again on charges of libel and deliberate harassment of the complainant.
Notably, on September 16, 2023, the First Misdemeanor Circuit at the Economic Court sentenced publisher and writer Hisham Kassem to six months in prison with labor and enforcement, along with a fine of 20,000 EGP, in connection with the first case, registered as Case No. 2021 of 2023 (Financial Misdemeanors).
