Egypt orders Le Monde reporter out of country

September 14, 1981

The Egyptian government, engaged in a major crackdown on political opponents, ordered the Cairo-based correspondent of the French newspaper Le Monde to leave the country. In a message issued by the official Middle East News Agency, it accused correspondent Jean-Pierre Peroncel-Hugoz of distorted reporting and fabricated stories. He was the second foreign journalist in the past week to be ordered out of Egypt. American Broadcasting Company corrrespondent Chris Harper also was expelled.