Egypt stops Ahmed Shafik interview from being aired

Sovereign parties urged Al-Assima television not to air a two-episode interview with Air Chief Marshal Ahmed Shafik, a former presidential candidate, Egypt’s Shorouk newspaper reported.

This came after the former presidential candidate broke his silence in an interview filmed in Abu Dhabi. He revealed a number of facts regarding his return to Egypt and running in the parliamentary or presidential elections.

In part of the answers he gave, which were used for part of the promotional material for the interview on the show “The Black Box”, he sent a message to the military leaders and those controlling the country saying that he possessed a number of documents that could convict all those trying to silence those speaking out against what is going on in Egypt.

Quoting its sources, Shorouk added that the sovereign parties also asked the channel’s management not to air the promo for the two episodes filmed in the UAE, in which Shafik attacks the security forces. He said: “I know a lot about the security forces; they must get their act together in order for me to remain silent. No one should dare tell me not to run for the House of Representatives.”

It also reported that the sovereign parties also asked the channel to give them a copy of the episodes to be screened for content before airing them. Then, 24 hours later, they asked the channel’s administration not to air the episodes, which were scheduled to go on air on Monday and Tuesday, and they kept the copies they were given.

Shorouk also said that Abdul Rahim Ali, the presenter of “The Black Box”, and the individual who conducted the interview with Shafik in the UAE, was approached by other television channels offering to air the episodes on their channel. However, he refused due to his affiliation with Al-Assima.

Shafik’s supporters started a new hashtag yesterday in protest of the channel’s failure to air the interview. A post was put on the Facebook page “We are all Ahmed Shafik” saying that preventing the interview from airing is the greatest victory for Shafik and brings joy to his supporters, as the promo for the interview provoked the fear of his enemies.