[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
The CIA Torture Report: Through Arab Eyes
Maged Mandour writes, “The fear that the United States has lost its moral compass is vastly exaggerated, for the simple reason that the United States - at least in the Arab World - never possessed this moral legitimacy in the first place.”
Egypt and Qatar Take steps Towards Reconciliation - Saudi
Qatar’s special envoy’s meeting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday results in positive outcomes, Saudi Arabia’s special envoy to Cairo has said.
El-Sisi Assures Obama of Egypt`s `Commitment to Democracy`
“Obama expressed concern about mass trials and imprisonment of journalists in a phone call with al-Sisi,” Ahram Online reports.
US `Disappointed` with Egypt for Denying Entry to US Scholar
US scholar Michele Dunne was stopped at Cairo International Airport last week and denied entry to Egypt.
Everything You Need to Know about 2015 U.S. Aid to Egypt
Colleen Costello compares the United States allocated aid to Egypt in 2015 with the data from 2014.
Egypt Receives Delayed Apache Helicopter Shipment from US
After months of delay, the United States delivers ten apache helicopters to Egypt.
Security
IS Threat Led to Closure of Western Embassies in Egypt
Al-Monitor reports, “The Islamic State has sent Egyptian members back to Egypt to plan attacks against foreign interests in the country, prompting the United Kingdom and Canada to close their embassies.”
Egypt Police Hail Arrest of 10,000 `Terrorists, Rioters, Facebook Admins` in 2014
Passant Darwish writes on the Interior Ministry’s statement regarding the arrest of Muslim Brotherhood supporters and members throughout the past year, and reflects on the impact of the crackdown on the future of the group.
Egypt President Appoints New Acting Head of Intelligence Agency
Ahram Online reports, “Khaled Fawzy has replaced Mohamed Farid El-Tohamy as acting head of the General Intelligence Service, a move sources say was for health reasons.”
Human Rights and Legal Institutions
The Students: The Untold Details of the Al-Jazeera Trial
Mohannad Sabry offers a comprehensive report on three students linked to the Al-Jazeera trial.
Egyptian Media Paints Rosy Picture of UNHRC Review of Egypt’s Human Rights Record
Jordan Daniels writes on the media’s reaction to the United Nation Human Rights Council’s recommendations to Egypt.
Has Egypt’s Tolerance for Dissent Reached a New Low?
William Barnes writes on the state’s recent acts of intolerance against filmmakers, researchers, atheists, and homosexuals.
Military Trials in Egypt: 2011-2014
Heather McRobie writes, “More civilians have been tried in military courts in the three years since the revolution than during the whole of Mubarak’s authoritarian rule. What happened to the revolutionary cry for “bread, freedom and justice”?”
HRW: Over 800 Civilians Sent to Military Court since October
Human Rights Watch statement says Egypt has referred 820 civilians to military courts in the last six months, following expansion of the court’s authority.
Dwindling Support for Egypt’s Political Prisoners
Timothy E. Kaldas writes on the underlying reasons that are lessening public support for political prisoners.
Catastrophes Mubarak Should be Held Accountable For
Ahmed al-Sayed al-Naggar writes, “Hosni Mubarak and his regime should face political trials before a revolutionary court for the legacy of corruption, waste of public money, and impoverishing future generations they left in their wake.”
University Protests
How the Egyptian Regime Strengthens the Student Opposition It Is Trying to Eliminate
Amro Ali writes on student protests in light of the state’s oppression of all forms of public demonstrations.
Egypt Universities Outsource Security
Amr Abdelatty writes, “Falcon Group International, a private contractor, is responsible for security in twelve Egyptian universities, but its presence has sparked controversy among students and administrators alike.” This article is published in Arabic.
Student Protests Persevere amidst Crackdowns Elsewhere in Egypt
Mohammed Adam and Basil El-Dabh write on the persistence of university protests despite the state’s oppression of any form of public gatherings on the streets outside university campuses.
Fact-Finding Committee Releases Debatable Numbers on Suspended Students
Mada Masr reports.
Culture and Politics
Ten Artists Engaged Against Torture in Libya & the Arab World: Artist Four – Ammar Abo Bakr
Aude Thepenier interviews Egyptian graffiti artist Ammar Abo Bakr.
Ramy Essam: On Revolutionary Stories, Struggles, & Guitar Strings
Sarah Moawad writes on Egyptian singer Ramy Essam, who became known during the first eighteen days of the January 25 Revolution as “Singer of the Revolution.”
Reports and Opinions
The Recent Drop in Crude Prices Means Big Savings for Egypt
Alfred Jasin and Brendan Meighan write on the drop in oil prices’ impact on Egypt’s economy and how it will positively affect al-Sisi’s image.
We Promise You An Operetta
Sarah Carr writes, “The development of Egypt`s military-brand nationalism over the past year can be traced in a series of formulaic, epic `operettas`.”
Searching for Youth to Save Education
Jayson Casper writes on a study of Egypt’s educational system recently submitted to President al-Sisi.
Labor Activist Continues Hunger Strike over Protesting Workers’ Crackdown
Mohamed Omar, a prominent leader of workers’ protests at Helwan Iron and Steel Company, enters his second day of hunger strike to protest his superior’s “vengeful” measures against his colleagues for their protests in past years.
Egyptian National Movement Party Re-Elects Shafiq as President
Former presidential candidate and former prime minister under Hosni Mubarak, Ahmed Shafiq, is re-elected president of the National Movement Party.
Sisi’s Moralism
Jannis Grimm argues that the “[al-]Sisi government’s crackdown on perceived immortality is the latest attempt to instill in Egypt a state-sanctioned interpretation of Islam.” This article is translated and published in Arabic.
Arabic
رؤية محرري رويتترز للوضع السياسي في مصر والشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا عام 2015
Reuters’ editors offer analytical predictions of 2015 based on the political and economic conditions in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa.
المبادرة المصرية: سنستمر في العمل رغم القيود لتحسين أوضاع حقوق الإنسان في مصر
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights releases a statement promising to continue to improve human rights conditions in the country despite state-imposed restrictions on NGOs. This statement was also released in English.
حركة تمرّد: بين مطرقة العلامة التجاريّة وسندان القانون
Reham Mokbel writes, “The request by Egypt’s Tamarod movement to form a political party was rejected due to missing information that the movement did not provide, thinking its position in the political scene before 30 June was enough to get its demands met.” This article is translated and published in English
المرشّح الرئاسيّ السّابق صباحي يقود انقلاباً ضدّ تحالف 30 يونيو
Walaa Hussein writes, “Hamdeen Sabahi, a former presidential candidate, is leading a movement to boycott the final stages of the 30 June coalition talks to finalize a road map for Egypt in light of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s newest policies and the acquittal of former President Hosni Mubarak.” This article is translated and published in English.
مؤيّدون لـ25 يناير ومعارضون لها يرفضون قانون تجريم إهانة الثورة
Ahmed Fouad writes, “Even loyal followers of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are up in arms about the proposed defamation law criminalizing the 25 January and 30 June revolutions.” This article is translated and published in English.
خريطة التحالفات الانتخابية استعداداً لبرلمان 2015
Aswat Masriya lists the coalitions formed in anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary elections, expected to be held in March 2015.
عن تقسيم الدوائر الانتخابية
Amr Hamzawy sheds light on the impact that the state’s plans to redraw the boundaries of certain districts will have in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
رهانات التعذيب الفاسدة
Abdallah al-Sinnawy writes on the US Senate’s “Torture Report” findings, which included the CIA’s outsourcing of torture to Egypt.
التقرير الأسبوعي لانتهاكات الجامعات: الشرطة تقتحم مساكن طلاب.. والنيابة العسكرية تحبس آخرين.
The Association for Freedom of Though and Expression releases a weekly report on the security forces’ violations against university protesters across the country.
مشاهد من حياة عُمَّالية (2)
Fatima Ramadan writes on the conditions that labor forces face in Egypt in light of the state and businesses’ restoration of the Mubarak era levels of discrimination against such groups.
غياب الشفافية: تكلفة اقتصادية وتعدٍ على حقوق المواطنين الدستورية
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights releases a study entitled: “Budget Transparency: The Economic Necessity Missing from Egypt.” To read a summary of the study in English, click here.
أساطير اقتصادية: دمج القطاع غير الرسمى
Amr Adly explains the informal economic sector in Egypt and its impact—or lack thereof—on the economic system as a whole.
السياسات المالية على طريقة الخديوي إسماعيل
Mohammed Jad analyzes the state’s economic policies in confronting its financial deficit.
المبادرة المصرية تستنكر انتهاك حرمة الحياة الخاصة وتطالب بتوفير محاكمة عادلة للمتهمين
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights releases a statement condemning the public procedures and arrests made against a group of men in a bathhouse in Cairo on charges of “perversion.” The statement is released in English.
!الحرب على الإلحاد
Isaac Ibrahim argues that religious and state institutions’ statements on atheism in Egypt and al-Sisi’s reference to moralism are means to further legitimize the current regime.
رئيس الديوان الملكي السعودي: لا عوائق أمام المبادرة
In an interview with Al-Arabiya news channel, head of Saudi Arabia’s Royal Council Khalid al-Tuwaijri and Saudi Arabia’s Qatar/Egypt reconciliation special envoy weighs in on King Abdullah’s role in pushing for Qatar’s reconciliation with Egypt.
Recently on Jadaliyya Egypt
سجن النساء يجتاز اختبار بكدال ويتجاوزه
Aisha Khalil Nasser reviews the Egyptian television series “Women’s Prison.”
Hassan Khan: Taraban
Medrar TV reports on Hassan Khan’s performance at the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival.