[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.]
Political Rights
HRW urges Egypt to investigate alleged abuses at Borg al-Arab Prison International watchdog Human Rights Watch called on Egypt’s prosecutor general to investigate alleged abuses against prisoners at Borg al-Arab Prison in Alexandria, in a report on Saturday.
Prosecution renews detention of police officers implicated in cart driver’s torture and death The West Cairo prosecutor’s office issued fifteen-day detention renewal orders on 20 December for the commissioned officer and three enlisted officers being investigated on suspicion of torturing and killing cart driver Magdy Makeen in Cairo’s Amereya Police Station last month.
Military trial of Alexandria Shipyard workers adjourned again A military court postponed a verdict against twenty-six civilian workers from the Alexandria Shipyard Company for the seventh consecutive time on Tuesday. Originally expected on 2 August, the military tribunal is now due to issue the verdict on 24 January, 2017, although this may be postponed yet again.
Egypt court sets Jan.16 for ruling on government appeal over Red Sea islands deal Egypt`s Supreme Administrative Court has set 16 January as a date for ruling on the government`s appeal against a previous verdict voiding the Tiran and Sanafir islands deal.
Former top auditor Hesham Geneina receives 1-year suspended sentence, conditional 3-year probation A Cairo appeals court upheld a verdict issued against the former chief of Egypt’s Central Auditing Authority Hesham Geneina in July sentencing him to one year in prison and a fine of 20,000 LE. On Thursday, the court suspended the prison sentence, and added a conditional three-year probation period to the verdict.
Government shuts down 3rd library owned by rights activist Gamal Eid Authorities shuttered a third Al-Karama library branch, owned by rights activist Gamal Eid, in Zagazig city on Sunday. Two other branches in Tora and Dar al-Salam were closed by municipality heads on 1 December.
Novelist Ahmed Naji released pending court decision on appeal Novelist Ahmed Naji was released from Bulaq police station on Thursday a few days after an Egyptian court suspended his prison sentence on charges of publishing "sexually explicit" excerpts from his novel, lawyer Mokhtar Mounir said.
Egypt court adjourns appeal of press syndicate head to 14 January A Cairo court has adjourned the first session of an appeal by Yehia Kalash, the head of Egypt`s press syndicate, and two others against their two-year jail sentences for harboring fugitives inside the syndicate`s headquarters.
Egyptian authorities arrest Al Jazeera journalist during family visit An Al Jazeera producer has been arrested during a visit with his family in Egypt, the Doha-based network said in a statement.
Update: Egypt`s prosecution orders detention of Al Jazeera producer for 15 days Egyptian prosecutors ordered the detention of Al Jazeera news producer Mahmoud Hussein for fifteen days pending investigations on charges of disturbing public security and spreading false news.
Interior ministry accuses Al Jazeera producer of fabricating news about Egypt Egypt`s interior ministry accused Al Jazeera news producer Mahmoud Hussein of fabricating media reports about Egypt to incite people against the state institutions, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
Informants at AUC? As an institution championing the United State’s model of liberal arts education, the American University in Cairo is known for allowing a degree of academic freedom that is largely absent in other Egyptian universities. This leniency appears particularly evident in regards to security intervention in student activities and academic freedom. However, a special issue of the “AUC Times,” the university’s independent student magazine, may reflect a different reality.
Signal bypasses Egyptian authorities’ interference with update to application Open Whisper Systems, the developer of the widely used encrypted messaging and voice-calling application Signal, announced on Wednesday that is has released an update to the program to allow it to bypass interference from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Death toll of church bombing rises as injured woman dies The Ministry of Health said on Saturday that a sixty-three-year old woman by the name Isis Fares died on Saturday after sustaining injuries caused by a bomb explosion at St. Peter and St Paul church earlier in December.
Ten-year old declared dead raising death toll of church bombing to 27 Egypt’s health ministry announced the death of ten-year-old Maggie Magdy on Tuesday due to a brain injury caused by the St. Peter and St. Paul church bombing.
Egypt government has reached solution to medicine shortage crisis: PM Egypt`s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said on Sunday that the government has “reached a solution” that works towards ending an ongoing medicine shortage in the country, without providing further details.
Pharmacists syndicate demands presidential interference in medicines prices Pharmacists syndicate sent a letter to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling him to ban increase in medicines prices.
Economy
Armed forces` economic activity represents no more than 2 pct of Egypt`s economy - Sisi Egypt`s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday that the armed forces economic activity represents no more than two percent of the country`s economy.
World bank approves second $1 billion tranche of $3 billion loan to Egypt - statement The World Bank`s board of executive directors approved a second one billion USD disbursement of a three billion USD loan to Egypt on Tuesday, a statement from the World Bank Group said.
Foreign Relations
Egypt responds to Israel’s plea and delays UN motion on settlements On Thursday President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi ordered the Egyptian delegation to the United Nations to delay voting on a motion condemning the ongoing building and expansion of settlement outposts in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Four U.N. council members issue Egypt ultimatum on settlements New Zealand, Venezuela, Malaysia and Senegal told Egypt on Thursday that if it did not clarify by midnight whether it planned to call a vote on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements, then they reserved the right to move ahead with the text, diplomats said.
Egypt defends its decision to withdraw anti-settlement resolution at the UN Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended its decision to withdraw a UN motion condemning the ongoing building of Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Rebuking criticism that Egypt had succumbed to pressure, ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid asserted that the decision was to delay the resolution until a time when it would be more likely to pass.
Egypt`s Sisi spoke with Trump about draft resolution on Israeli settlements -spokesman Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke with U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump on Thursday about Egypt`s draft resolution on Israeli settlements at the U.N. Security Council, Sisi`s office said on Thursday.
US urges citizens to consider risks of travel to Egypt The US Department of State warned its citizens on Friday of "threats from terrorist groups in Egypt" and urged them "to consider the risks of travel to the country."
Egypt condemns Berlin Christmas market attack Egypt condemned an attack on a Christmas market in Berlin that left twelve dead and at least forty-eight injured after a truck sped into the venue and crashed through wooden huts and stands packed with people Monday evening.
Domestic Security
Egypt`s security forces kill 2 men over assassination of senior military officer Egypt`s interior ministry announced early on Sunday the killing of two men involved in the assassination of a senior army officer in an exchange of fire in Menoufia governorate.
Conscript, Hasam movement leader killed in ‘exchange of fire’ – MOI Egypt’s interior ministry said on Monday that a police conscript and a leader of Hasam movement were killed in exchange of fire in Giza.
Arabic
مُخبرين في الجامعة الأمريكية A report published by American University in Cairo students’ magazine revealed testimonies on state security interference in university.
«السجون»: إطلاق سراح أحمد ناجي خلال 48 ساعة من ورود مذكرة صحة الإفراج Appeal court ordered the release of Ahmad Naji and the suspension of two-year prison sentence for violating public modesty.
«الصيادلة» تنذر وزير الصحة بسبب رفع أسعار الدواء Pharmacists’ syndicate rejects ministerial orders to increase drug price.
أسعار المواصلات والغذاء تحرق جيوب المصريين في 2016 Egyptians complain about the increasing food and transportation prices.
بالصور.. تشييع جنازة الطفلة «ماجي مؤمن» شهيدة «البطرسية»Maggie Moemen, ten-years-old, died on Tuesday raising the death toll of Cairo church attack up to twenty-six.
رئيس «النواب»: موافقة المجلس على مشروع قانون نقابة الإعلاميين نهائية Parliamentary Speaker Ali Abdel Aal announced passage of media syndicate bill.
احتفال «الكاثوليك» بـ«عيد الميلاد» وسط إجراءات أمنية مشددة Egypt’s churches are under high security measures for Christmas celebrations following the deadliest attack on Botroseya church.
السلطات المصرية تعتقل الصحفي بالجزيرة محمود حسين According to Al Jazeera news channel, Egyptian authorities detained news producer, Mahmoud Hussein, and his two brothers.
الحريري عن بيع مستشفيات التكامل للقطاع الخاص: أمر كارثي.. ومن أين سيأتي «الجيش والشرطة» بالتكاليف للمشاركة في الشراء MP Haisam Al-Hariry describes the planned privatization of public hospitals as catastrophic to the health sector.
(السيسي: «يا ريت القوات المسلحة كانت تمتلك 50% من اقتصاد مصر» (فيديو President al-Sisi said on that the military`s economic activity accounts for no more than two percent of the entire Egyptian economy.