EGYPT: State-run newspaper explains why it doctored Mubarak photo

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What a blunder.

Egypt's most widely circulated Arab newspaper is attempting to justify the doctoring of a photograph last week that skewered reality by falsely depicting President Hosni Mubarak walking ahead of U.S, Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian Authority leaders during the recently-held Middle East peace talks.

The state-run Al Ahram newspaper digitally manipulated a photograph taken in Washington earlier this month that showed President Obama leading the four other leaders down a red carpet. In the original photo, Mubarak appears to be a step behind everyone else. In Al Ahram's version, which ran on Sept. 14, Mubarak, who faces constant rumors about his health, is mysteriously leading the pack.   

That sleight-of-hand was criticized across the international media, drawing controversy and prompting questions regarding Al Ahram's professionalism. Al Ahram's editor has tried to play down the enormity of the fabrication: "The expressional photo is a brief, live and true expression of the prominent stance of President Hosni Mubarak on the Palestinian issue, his unique role in leading it before Washington or any other," Osama Saraya wrote on Friday.

The doctored photo, which has not been removed from Al Ahram's website, was spotted by blogger Wael Khalil, who said that the incident is a telling, if unsettling, example of the paper's role in glorifying Mubarak and his regime.

"This [altered photo] is just a snapshot of the state media's daily deception about a number of issues, including democratic change and social justice," Khalil said.

"People have picked up on the photo because it's such a good insight into the government's way of operating in Egypt. Whenever there are problems they simply try and gloss over them. You can see it in both the photo and in the way they run the country," he added.

Nonetheless, Al Ahram staff members were left frustrated at the fabrication, and worried that the paper's credibility was at stake. 

"Al Ahram is such a big name and an important asset in the Egyptian and Arab journalism and I'm very sad to see the paper take part in such fabrication," Sabah Hamamou, a deputy business editor at Al Ahram, told the Times. "Unfortunately, both Egypt and Al Ahram are enduring such tough times. They are both in their worst shapes and what goes wrong in the country is reflected on the paper's state." 

Hamamou is convinced that the newspaper's management is appointed by the regime to serve the state's interests rather than maintain and protect the paper's positive image and ethical code.

-- Amro Hassan in Cairo

Photos, from top: Fabricated photo of Mubarak leading the four presidents. (Credit: Al Ahram); original photo. (Credit: Reuters)

Comments

[Mostafa]

First of all , I don't approve of what they did , I am an Egyptian and i don't approve of what they did but! here's the rest of the article which wasn't mentioned, Al-Ahram When They Posted the Doctored Picture they had given a hint that it was in fact made up as they had posted the name of the Visual Artist Who Had Created the picture written under it but it's not visible in this picture ,Second the picture posted under an article that talked about the Negotiations that happened in Sharm El-Sheikh Not The negotiations that happened in Washington And In fact The Newspaper Had already posted the original picture in an article talking about the Negotiations In Washington , In The End I'd Like To State That it was wrong of the paper to Doctor And Photoshop The Image Without Stating That Directly!

[Joe]

Israelis don't like Egypt, so Iran shall take of her, Elbaradei or not!

[delphin]

who gives...

[Robert NO longer in LA]

We have our own political toilets to flush...PAY ATTENTION to what has/is happening HERE! NO INCUMBENT career thieves deserve re-election = they've EARNED, THE BOOT!

[Patricia]

Barney, look at his tie. They flipped his photo, which is why his right and left foot changed.

[Jeff]

This would be a clear violation of journalistic ethics by U.S. standards. Obviously, Egypt's ethics are much lower.

[DuarteRes]

@barney It is the correct before picture. You'll notice that the image of Mubarak is flipped.

[flopper]

Arab press and arab politicians: lies, lies and more lies

[Barney]

Please check the photos more closely. Besides the position of these men, what other changes are there?
Mubarak's left leg is leading in one photo; the right leg in the other. I doubt they posted the correct before and after pictures.

[John]

Wow. The paper found a way to explain the doctoring: "The photo is a true expression of the leading role..." Folks, if a "prominent" Egyptian newspaper feels it has to blatantly doctor a photo that the rest of the world will know is phony...think about what other lies the Arab world is telling--regarding, for example, Israel and the history of its Jewish neighbor. Arab governments and media will come up with any story that gives "an accurate expression" of things, the way that they would like things to be. The justification given by this editor in chief is priceless. What an insight it gives into the workings of the Egyptian mind--or, at least, the minds of the people running the show in Egypt. No wonder there are textbooks used in Egyptian schools that teach children that Jews are less than human. It must be wonderful to go through life not worrying at all about how your policies and account of events fit in with reality. Kind of simplifies things.

[Salah]

So putting him at the front shows how much he cares about the Palestinian issue, seriously ? It's not a marathon.

Shame on you Al-Ahram.

[Pizzedoff]

What's the shock? It is INSTRUCTED by the Islamo 'good book' to lie if it provides advantage:
Bukhari, V1B4N234:
“A group of people from the Oreyneh and Oqayelh tribes came to the prophet to embrace Islam, the prophet advised them to drink the urine of the camels. Later on when they killed the prophet’s shepherd, the prophet seized them, gouged out their eyes, cut their hands and legs, and left them thirsty in the desert to die.”
Oops, sorry,wrong one, try this:
"Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a false thing [i.e. to deceive Kab]. "The Prophet said, "You may say it." - Hadith 5.59.369
The root word "taqiyya" means to protect against or conceal. As you can gather from the above quote, the principle of al-Taqiyya is the Islamo justification for lying and deceiving. Al-Taqiyya is drawn explicitly from the words of Muhammad, and from the examples he and his successors set.

[john]

big deal.

[tomK]

We are following down that path, we used to have a government of the people, by the people, now WE have a regime. Non elected Czars, DOJ, FBI, NSA, CIA, BATF, EPA, Homeland Security, the list goes on and on, Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.