Cairo: October 20, 2011. (PCP) ANHRI has filed a lawsuit today against the Military Council, Prime Minister, and Minister of Information for the misinformation and incitement against the protesters by the state TV during the events at Maspero. A group of Egyptians organized a peaceful March on 9 October that started from some areas in Cairo, heading to the area of Maspero. Once they had arrived there, violence erupted and nobody knows who instigated it. On the other hand, the Egyptian TV deployed all its vast potentials to outrage and incites the public opinion against the peaceful protesters, aiming at dredging up sectarianism amongst the Egyptian people. Intending to spread chaos and violence incitement, some state TV presenters even asked the Egyptians to take to the streets and protect the army whose soldiers were being killed and shot by the “Coptic protesters” as unprofessionally described by the TV, in such an inciting and sectarian manner that ignores the fact that other sects of the Egyptian people were in the demonstration. “The Minister of Information has infringed his legal and political commitments as a minister that manages his ministry in accordance with the act No. 223 for the year 1989, in amendment of the act No. 13 for the year 1979 as regards the Radio and TV Union, especially the fourth article from the act which states (The Minister of information supervises the Radio and TV Union and follows the execution of the national goals and services, as well as the other missions stated in this law, connecting these goals and services with the high politics, national targets, social peace, national unity, and the media plan of the state)” states the litigation text. As the Egyptian Ministry of Information, represented by the Minister of Information, is the administrative body responsible for supervising visual mass media, whether directly or indirectly, through the channels of the Egyptian TV, the Minister is fully responsible for the sectarian incitement, resulting in violence and over 25 fatalities and 300 casualties. The continuation of this incitement could lead the country into a sectarian strife. The Military Council and the Prime Minister were required to reject the announcement of the Minister of Information, being their associate, of not taking any action to stop the incitement campaign or to bring those responsible to trial. “The role of the Minister of Information is to direct mass media to enlighten the people and defend their gains in the face of challenges, in addition to informing the international public opinion of data and information on Egypt in the face of counter-propaganda. The incitement broadcast on the screens of the Egyptian TV during the events of Maspero is an infringement on the constitution and the law” said ANHRI. “Strife and chaos instigators at this crucial stage experienced by Egypt must be rapidly penalized. All the corrupt leaders of the Radio and TV Union have to be brought to trials. A new plan for the media has to be applied for the next phase so that it becomes a constructive tool, not a demolition one” added ANHRI