Egyptian journalist wins 2008 Gebran Tueni Award

The prize, which is made in memory of Gebran Tueni, the Lebanese publisher and WAN board member who was killed by a car bomb in Beirut in December 2005, recognises Essa's commitment to freedom of the press, his courage, leadership, ambition and high managerial and professional standards.

Essa will receive the award during the 3rd Arab Free Press Forum, to be held in Beirut, Lebanon, next week. He said he was honoured to receive an award associated with Gebran Tueni and WAN because of their defence of press freedom in the Arab world and beyond.

"Moreover, the award gives a kiss of life to writers in Arab countries, where the press is suffocated," he said.

Al Dustour, founded in 1995, was closed by the Egyptian authorities from 1998 to 2005 after it published a letter from the militant group Gamaa Islamiya. Its circulation has grown from 50,000 when it resumed publishing, to 120,000 today, in large part because of Essa's leadership.

Essa remains determined to provide professional and quality coverage of events, despite censorship, indictments and court cases.

He was sentenced to two months in prison in September 2008 for "propagating false news and rumours causing a general security disturbance and harming the public interest" in connection with articles concerning the health of President Mubarak. He was pardoned by the president in October.

Essa is currently appealing another conviction and is free on bail pending the outcome. In September 2007, Essa, along with Adel Hammouda of the weekly al-Fagr, Wael al-Abrashi of the weekly Soat al-Ommah, and Abdel Halim Kandeel of the weekly al-Karama, each received one-year jail sentences for "defaming the president".

Essa and Al Dustour journalist Sahar Zaki had earlier been sentenced to a year in prison for "insulting the president" and "spreading false rumours" for their April 2005 coverage of a legal case against President Mubarak. The prison sentence was dismissed on appeal in February 2007 and the two were fined 22,500 Egyptian Pounds (3,200 Euros).

About 30 journalists work for Al Dustour. Most of them are young and committed to independent journalism.

The award carries a 10,000 Euros scholarship to enable Essa to undertake advanced newspaper leadership training.