Arab reporters present first cross-national investigative report in region
The first cross-national investigative report presented this month in Amman is one of the great achievements of the investigative journalism network Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ). Iraqi journalist Khulood Alamiry reports from ARIJ’s annual conference
By Khulood Alamiry, journalist, Iraq
Corruption, crime and the abuse of power are seldom actions bound by borders as displayed by the first cross-national investigative report carried out by two Egyptian journalists together with colleagues in Europe. Although press freedom in Egypt is still under severe constraints, the fall of former President Mubarac has opened the doors to the investiagtive journalism genre, a vital component in holding authorities accountable in a country which is in political transition after 30 years of dictatorship.
Following the money trail
Their investigation, which was discussed in detail at the IMS-supported annual Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism Conference earlier this month morning session, traced the wealth of oil and gas tycoon Hussain Salem, the right hand of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Salem owns a network of companies inside and outside Egypt, but the first line in tracing Hussein Salem’s trail was the Public Investment Commission in Cairo, which maintains complete files on the details of establishing companies and making deals, in addition to organisational structures for each company.
The two Egyptian journalists who carried out the investigation discussed the obstacles and risks they faced during the work, particularly with regard to the accuracy of over 250 documents obtained and how to follow facts and figures across the border. Ali Zalat, one of the two Egyptian journalists, said that the investigation was based on one important document that had been filed to the court and that this file had played a major role in the discovery of many truths in cooperation with investigative journalists from other countries. He explained that the information gathered in Egypt opened the door to a cross-border investigation to trace the funds of Salem and his gas company – money which is not registered in the company’s official records.
One of the interesting examples of the power Hussain Salem wielded in Egypt is that in one case, he was able to open the Egyptian stock market on a Friday, the official weekly holiday in Egypt, to be able to complete one of his deals.
According to Rahman Shalabi, one of the two Egyptian journalists leading the investigation, networking is the ideal solution for tracking assets and disclosing facts about the wealth of corrupt politicians and businessmen in the Arab countries. On the possibility of disclosing the wealth of senior military leaders in Egypt, Shalabi’s lawyer said that there is a law prohibiting the press from harming the Egyptian national interests and that this law is often applied in cases pertaining to the military.
The investigation was supported by ARIJ. Read more on the investigation here.
