A Cairo court on Monday ordered that an Islamist television channel be closed permanently, accusing it of attempting to disrupt the unity of Egypt. The broadcaster, Al-Hafez, was ordered shut after accusations that it was "inciting hatred" against Coptic Christians and "undermining national unity". Al-Hafez and some of its presenters have often been accused by Copts and liberals of using harsh language about them in its reports.

The channel was among several other Islamist networks to be taken temporarily off the air soon after the July 3 ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi by the military. Several human rights organisations in Egypt have said that "holding the inciter accountable is mandatory, but the closure of channels is a form of collective punishment, which constitutes a violation of media freedom".

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013