مصر.. منع مذيعتين شهيرتين من الظهور لمدة شهرين

In a decision that highlights the extension of professional responsibility for journalists to what they publish on social media platforms, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation in Egypt has decided to ban journalists Riham Said and Yasmin El Khatib from appearing for two months on all media outlets subject to the provisions of the Press and Media Regulation Law.

The decision came after the council investigated mutual complaints filed by both Said and El Khatib, in addition to what the General Administration for Monitoring at the council observed regarding their exchanges on their social media accounts, which the council deemed contrary to societal values, community standards, and the professional principles governing media work.

The council, chaired by Engineer Khaled Abdelaziz, approved the recommendations of the Complaints Committee, headed by the council's media agent Issam Al-Amir, regarding the ban on the two journalists for two months.

Responsibility Extends to Social Media

The Supreme Council for Media Regulation confirmed that the professional responsibility of a journalist is not limited to what they present on television screens or media platforms, but also extends to what they publish or circulate through their accounts on social media.

It clarified that journalists' personal accounts have become part of the public domain, which necessitates adherence to professional standards and respect for the nature of media work, as well as the regulations it imposes on discourse and behavior, in order to maintain the profession's status and respect from the audience.

The Dispute Originated from the Journalists' Syndicate

Prior to the council's decision, the Journalists' Syndicate took action regarding the dispute between the two parties, as the syndicate received on September 13, 2026, two complaints from Riham Said against journalist Mohamed El Desouki Rushdi, presenter of the program "Here Cairo" on MTI Modern Channel, and against Yasmin El Khatib, presenter of the program "Under the Sun" on Al Shams Channel.

Said stated in her complaint that she was subjected to defamation and slander, and that her personal life was intruded upon, in addition to undermining her media professionalism, through what was presented by the accused.

The syndicate confirmed at that time that it dealt with the complaints according to the governing regulations, and provided the concerned parties with the opportunity to present their viewpoints and respond to what was stated in the complaints.

On September 19, the syndicate's head, Tarek Saada, announced the resolution of the two complaints, following the attendance of the accused parties at the syndicate's headquarters to respond to the allegations.

Rushdi denied intending to undermine Riham Said, affirming his respect for her and his colleagues in the media field, while Yasmin El Khatib stated that her comments did not include, according to her account, any reference to any colleague by name or implication.

The head of the Journalists' Syndicate at that time emphasized the necessity of adhering to the media code of honor and preserving professional fellowship rights.

The Dispute Moves to the "Supreme Media Council"

Despite the intervention of the Journalists' Syndicate, the dispute later escalated to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation through mutual complaints between Riham Said and Yasmin El Khatib, before the council issued its decision to ban their appearances for two months.

Previous Decisions Against the Two Journalists

This latest decision is not the first of its kind against the two journalists. In October 2024, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation decided to suspend the program "Sabaya," which was presented by Riham Said on "Hi" Channel for two months, and fined the channel 100,000 Egyptian pounds, due to violations related to the content that was broadcast.

The council had also previously decided to suspend the program "Tea with Jasmine," presented by Yasmin El Khatib on Al-Nahar Channel for six months, along with a fine of 200,000 Egyptian pounds, due to violations related to media codes and standards.

In November 2025, the council issued a decision banning Yasmin El Khatib from appearing for three months, along with journalist Basma Wahba, due to violations related to what was published through their social media accounts, with a warning directed to El Khatib's Facebook account.

Strengthening Oversight on Media Content

The new decision comes as part of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation's efforts to tighten its oversight on the content presented through media outlets and digital platforms.

On September 27, the council approved the suspension of three programs on the channels "Al-Hadath Al-Youm" and "Al-Shams," due to violations of media codes and mixing media content with advertising material.

The council also decided on September 24 to summon legal representatives from websites due to violations related to respecting citizens' privacy.

Through these decisions, the council emphasizes that the rules of media work are not limited to programs, channels, and official platforms, but also extend to the content that journalists publish through their personal accounts, considering it part of the public domain.