Egypt Media Roundup (20 February)

[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

Egypt court upholds ruling placing 241 Wilayet Sinai members on terrorism list

Egypt's Court of Cassation upheld on Monday an earlier criminal court decision to place 241 people on the country's terrorist list.

Egyptian photojournalist Shawkan to be released after five years in prison

Egypt's prison authorities have started procedures to release Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid–known as Shawkan–and 214 others who have served five-year prison terms for their involvement in a Muslim Brotherhood sit-in at Cairo's Rabaa al-Adaweya in 2013.

Judicial candidates forced to undergo unprecedented evaluations as presidency exerts further control

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a decree on Monday appointing 341 Faculty of Law graduates from the class of 2015 to the position of assistant prosecutor at the Public Prosecution.

Parliament advances constitutional amendments by overwhelming majority, opposition speaks out

Egypt’s House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to approve, in principle, a set of constitutional amendments that would allow President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to extend his term in office until 2034.

‘Union to Defend the Constitution’ brings opposition forces together to reject constitutional amendments

Two days after a host of constitutional amendments were submitted to Egypt’s parliament earlier this week, a number of political parties and public figures announced the establishment of a group formed to oppose the proposed changes.

Lawyer: At least 2 dozen minors among those sentenced in military case last week

Approximately twenty-six of the 156 defendants sentenced to prison by a military court last week were minors at their time of their arrest in 2014.

6 death sentences carried out in February spark criticism of due process violations from rights groups

Over the last two weeks, six people were executed in Egypt in two separate cases that rights organizations say were rife with due process violations, including the use of torture to extract confessions.

Placement of 296 on ‘terrorist list’ overturned by Court of Cassation

In a ruling that complicates Egypt’s long-standing attempt to manage and confiscate Muslim Brotherhood funds, the Court of Cassation overturned on Tuesday a criminal court decision to list 296 people on Egypt’s “terrorist list,” according to lawyer Ahmed Abul Ela.

Families of at least 18 political prisoners denied visitation rights

The families of at least eighteen political prisoners being detained in Egypt have been denied their visitation rights over the last ten days.

Missing lawyer Ezzat Ghoneim appears in court, ordered to be detained for 45 days

After being forcibly disappeared for four months, lawyer Ezzat Ghoneim appeared on Saturday at the Cairo Criminal Court, which ordered his detention for forty-five days, according to his lawyer.

Foreign Policy

Egypt’s Sisi calls for greater int'l cooperation on security, development at Munich Security Conference

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi highlighted security challenges facing the African continent, migration issues and means of fighting terrorism in his speech to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Sources: Cairo offers diplomatic support to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in the wake of continued protests

In the wake of continued protests across its southern border, Egypt has opted to prioritize Sudan’s stability, and, “in the Egyptian lexicon, stability means maintaining the presidency [of Omar al-Bashir],” an Egyptian official involved in Egypt’s regional policy said.

Economy

International institutions acquired 30.7% of Egypt’s debts by end-June 2018

International institutions account for 30.7 percent of Egypt’s total foreign debts by end of June 2018, according to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE).

Central Bank of Egypt reduces deposit, lending rates by 1 percent

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) on Thursday unexpectedly reduced the deposit rate, overnight lending rate, and the rate of main bank operations by one hundred basis points by one percent to 15.75 percent, 16.75 percent and 16.25 percent, respectively.

Domestic Security

Egypt's military kills 7 terrorists in a shootout in North Sinai: Spox

Egypt's military spokesperson Tamer al-Refai said that seven militants were killed in a clash in North Sinai on Saturday morning.

Update: Province of Sinai claims attack on Arish checkpoint that killed 15 military personnel

The Islamic State-affiliated Province of Sinai claimed responsibility on Sunday for an attack south of the North Sinai capital of Arish that took place on Saturday morning, according to a statement released by the militant group’s media arm, the Amaq News Agency.

Armed forces arrest 2,770 individuals over illegal migration attempts

Over the three weeks of the extensive armed operation called “Sinai 2018,” 2,770 individuals were arrested during attempts to cross the borders to/or from Egypt through the western borders between Egypt and Libya, and the southern borders between Egypt and Sudan.

Egypt’s security authorities dismantle three explosives in Giza

The Interior Ministry announced on Friday that members of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist group attempted to plant explosives at a security point near al-Istiqama mosque in Giza Square after the Friday Zohor prayer.