CAIRO, Aug 16 (Aswat Masriya) - A draft law to end freedom-restricting penalties for Egypt's journalists in publishing cases was revealed on Sunday, as well as a draft law to unify the matters of the Egyptian press and other media services.

The drafts were announced from a news conference at the press syndicate in Cairo. The proposed laws were drafted by a committee made up of 50 journalists, media practitioners and experts. 

"Sentences of imprisonment in crimes committed by way of publishing or publicity" are to be "cancelled," whether they are in the Penal Code or "any other law," Article 1 of the draft to end imprisonment of journalists said. 

"A fine worth no less than 2,000 Egyptian pounds ($255) is sufficient," the draft law stipulated. 

As for crimes related to encouraging violence, discrimination or defamation, the penalty is to be determined by the law, the draft read.  

Egypt maintains that there are no journalists behind bars in relation to their work. Last week, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi denied that any journalists are detained in Egypt in cases related to publishing or press freedom.

However, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a report on press freedom in Egypt published in June that the state's imprisonment of journalists is at "an all-time high".

CPJ counted at least 18 journalists behind bars in relation to their reporting.

Last week, the syndicate said this was the highest tally of journalists in prison since it started keeping records of journalists' detention in 1990. The syndicate also voiced concern over "worsening health conditions" of detained colleagues who are "deprived of proper health care." 

The suggested amendments are in line with Egypt's constitution, which states in Article 71 that no freedom-restricting penalty may be imposed for "crimes of publishing."

However, it does leave it up to the law to decide on the penalty undertaken for incitement to violence, discrimination or defamation. 

As for the draft law to unify and organise the matters of the press and other media services, it is an extensive document made up of over 200 articles and is described by the press syndicate as an "honest translation of the constitution."

Media practitioners in Egypt receive different levels of recognition by authorities depending on the type of media service they work for. For instance, lawyer and analyst Atef al-Negmy, said that while the constitution grants online and electronic journalists rights, what they face on the ground is far different.