Supreme Council for Media Regulation and National Council for Human Rights Discuss Areas of Cooperation and Issues of Mutual Interest

Dr. Khaled Abdelaziz, President of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), received a delegation from the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), headed by Dr. Ahmed Ihab Gamaleldin, President of NCHR.

The NCHR delegation included Mr. Mohamed Anwar El Sadat, Vice President of the Council, and a number of Board Members: Dr. Ayman Abdel Wahab, Chairperson of the Civil and Political Rights Committee; Ms. Vivian Mourad, Chairperson of the Complaints Committee; Mr. Ezzat Ibrahim, Chairperson of the Media Committee; and Mr. Mohamed Osman, Member of the Media Committee. Dr. Islam Rayhan from NCHR's Technical Secretariat also attended.

Dr. Khaled Abdelaziz was joined in receiving the delegation by Mr. Essam El-Amir, Deputy President of SCMR, and Counsellor Yasser El Maabady, its Secretary-General.

Both sides expressed their mutual appreciation for the national role played by their respective institutions within their mandates, and for their responsibilities in upholding the principles of the Constitution and the law, safeguarding rights and freedoms, and supporting state institutions. They also underscored the importance of complementing each other’s efforts, strengthening channels of communication and institutional coordination, and exchanging expertise and perspectives. Such cooperation would help capitalize on the overlap between their respective mandates in a number of areas, contribute to upholding freedom of opinion and expression, promote professional and responsible media practices, serve the public interest, and strengthen public confidence in national institutions.

The meeting addressed several issues of mutual interest, foremost among them the situation of online platforms seeking to regularize their status, as well as other matters related to the respective mandates and priorities of the two Councils.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides agreed to establish a joint working group to facilitate consultation and coordination on issues that fall within the intersecting constitutional and legal mandates of NCHR and SCMR. The working group is intended to strengthen institutional cooperation and contribute to developing joint perspectives and recommendations for addressing the various aspects of matters of mutual interest.