The Egyptian Public Prosecution has warned citizens against using social media platforms to lodge complaints or publish misleading material that could trigger public panic or disturb public peace and security.
The Prosecution’s remarks follow a massive public outcry triggered by a widely circulated post regarding how hospital doctors handle pregnant women during childbirth. The post contained accounts by a former female physician detailing incidents she claimed to have witnessed during her training period years ago.
The Public Prosecution has referred the physician, Omnia Soweidan, to criminal trial on charges of publishing false news concerning Alexandria University Hospitals. The Prosecution stated that it had flagged a post on her personal Facebook account containing allegations of gross ethical and professional violations inside one of the university hospitals.
In its official statement, the Public Prosecution stressed the absolute necessity of verifying accuracy before publishing or circulating any information on social media platforms. It emphasized that publishing false or misleading news capable of inciting panic among citizens or disrupting public peace and security constitutes a crime that warrants legal accountability.
The Prosecution clarified that while the right to publish and express opinions is legally guaranteed, using these platforms to spread rumors directly threatens societal security.
Furthermore, the Prosecution underscored that social media sites are not legitimate channels for filing reports or complaints. It noted that official avenues have been provided to receive reports via its official website or through its dedicated WhatsApp number, urging citizens to strictly adhere to these prescribed legal channels.
Regarding the controversial incident, the Prosecution confirmed that investigations proved the physician wrote the post based on limited observations during her hospital training period, as well as second-hand information from others that she failed to verify. She also admitted during questioning that some of the events she published did not occur in her direct presence, and that she had left the medical profession to pursue a career in filmmaking in 2021.
The Public Prosecution concluded that the publication of these false reports was intended to stir public confusion and boost engagement on the defendant’s page. Consequently, she has been referred to criminal trial on charges of spreading false news via the internet and using an electronic account to commit a crime.
