in september 2007 abbas and another writer were convicted of defamation and public abuse after writer mohamed helmy published an article on corruption at the 15th of may youth center, where abbas was a member of the board. the story was published in "kalam sanay'iya", a magazine published by the ctuws. the lawsuit for alleged "slander and defamation of character" against abbas—and his co-defendant lawyer mohamed helmi—was filed by mohamed mustafa ibrahim, chairman of the board of directors at the youth center. ibrahim filed three petitions against abbas and claimed that the magazine article "publicly defamed him as a state-appointed civil servant". he based his case on article 188 of the egyptian code of law, which penalizes false reporting (anyone who "publishes false news, statements or rumours likely to disturb public order" may face a prison sentence). abbas was sentenced to one year in prison.