[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: Systematic torture is a state policy
The report addresses the numerous types of torture inflicted upon detainees, particularly persons charged in political cases. These include enforced disappearance and incommunicado detention, and filmed confessions coerced by torture, duress or threat, which are then used as propaganda films produced by the military or Interior Ministry.
Between prison and the outside world: The messengers of last resort
This written note was secretly handed to Laila last month by her brother when she visited him in prison in Upper Egypt. It was from one of her brother’s cellmates in the hopes that she could pass it along to his family.
Police referred to criminal court on charges of torturing cart driver to death in 2016
A police officer and nine non-commissioned policemen were referred to criminal court by the West Cairo prosecutor’s office on Monday on charges of torturing to death Magdy Makeen, a donkey cart driver, in a police station nearly three years ago, according to Ali al-Halawani, the lawyer for Makeen’s family.
Conditions inside Cairo’s notorious Tora Prison Complex are “adequate,” according to the findings of an inspection team assigned by the Public Prosecution.
The Supreme Media Regulatory Council (SMRC) has yet to review applications hastily submitted a year ago by websites and media outlets to bring their operations into accord with restrictive media regulation legislation, the council’s secretary told Mada Masr.
Intimidation, bullying crimes to be referred to state security emergency courts: Madbouly
Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued a decree on Sunday that obligates the public prosecution to refer certain crimes to the state security emergency courts during the state of emergency put forward by the Presidential Decree No. 555 of 2019 for a period of three months.
Death reduced to life sentence for six defendants in 2016 Khosous attack
Egypt’s Cassation Court ruled on Saturday to mitigate the death sentence into life imprisonment against six defendants in the case of the deadly attack on a security checkpoint in Khosous.
Passenger dies after jumping off train for not affording ticket price
A vendor jumped to his death from a moving train on Monday following a quarrel with the conductor after he couldn’t afford the ticket price to Cairo. The conductor allegedly forced the vendor Mohamed Eid to jump out of the train along with his colleague Ahmed Samir after they told him they had no money.
Foreign Policy
Egypt, Germany agree on need for solution to Libyan crisis, ahead of planned Berlin summit
Egypt and Germany agreed to make a concerted mutual effort to generate a comprehensive solution to the Libyan crisis and thus contribute in eliminating terrorism, and given Berlin’s plans to hold a summit of the rival factions later this year.
Egyptian, French navies carry out joint transit exercise in the Red Sea
The Egyptian and French navies have carried out a joint transit naval exercise in the domain of the southern fleet in the Red Sea, Egypt’s Army Spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.
The proceedings of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) will be start in Cairo Sunday for the first time in the Middle East and Africa to tackle illegal migration, the spread of terrorism, climate change and cyber security.
Egypt's Sisi, Ethiopia's PM Ahmed agree that GERD technical committee should resume work
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed agreed that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam's (GERD) independent technical committee should immediately resume its work in a more open and positive way, Egypt's presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said in a statement on Thursday.
Economy
Egypt's non-petroleum exports increase by 3%
Egypt's non-petroleum exports recorded a three percent increase during the first nine months of 2019, reaching 19.201 billion USD, up from 18.708 billion USD during the same period in 2018.
Egypt might take out another IMF loan by March if needed: Finance minister
Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait told Ahram Online that Egypt might opt for a new IMF loan deal by March if needed.
Egypt’s cotton, textile sector upgrade costs EGP 21 bln: Public Enterprise Minister
Egypt’s Minister of Public Enterprise Hisham Tawfik said it would take 21 billion Egyptian pounds to upgrade the textile and cotton industries sector.
US dollar records lowest level against EGP since March 2017
The US dollar continued its decline against the Egyptian pound in the domestic market, reaching about 16.08 Egyptian pounds to buy and 16.18 Egyptian pounds to sell on average at banks on Monday, marking its lowest level since March 2017.
Domestic Security
Five people killed in railway crossing crash in Upper Egypt's Luxor
Five people were killed and two others were injured after a train crashed into a minibus at a railway crossing on Tuesday in Upper Egypt's Luxor governorate.
Egypt police kill 13 terrorists in North Sinai raid
Egyptian security forces killed thirteen terrorists during a raid on a hideout in the border North Sinai region on Tuesday, the interior ministry said in a statement.
Al-Sisi extends state of emergency for additional three months
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi extended the state of emergency over Egypt from Sunday 27 October 2019, for additional three months.
Arabic
Instability in Sinai has been on the rise as a result of continued terrorist attacks as well as bad weather, forcing residents to flee their homes.
بحثٌ عن قروض جديدة... من «النقد الدولي» وآخرين
Egypt is seeking external borrowing to support the next phase of the country’s reform program.
المقاولون والسياسة في مصر.. زواج كاثوليكي وشراكة متجذرة
The article sheds light on the conflict of interest risks arising from contractor and state business.
"كنا نمارس اللاشيء بنشاط".. مصريون يروون ذكريات التجنيد والسُخرة والقتال
The article interviews servant soldiers about their experiences during their military service time.
«منتدى مسك» برعاية ابن سلمان: نحو تعزيز الاستثمار في الإعلام المصري
The article discusses how Saudi Arabia is seeking to enhance investment in the Egyptian media sector through holding the Misk forum in Cairo, which was organized by the Center of the Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Foundation.