[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 abusing pre-trial detention to eliminate rights advocates
Egypt has been “abusing” pre-trial detention to eliminate human rights defenders from society by bringing “terrorism” charges against activists, lawyers, journalists, and critics of the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a report said.
This justice is not blind: New amendments to terror laws
Several judges and rights activists view the amendments as part of authorities’ efforts to ramp up the seizure of funds and properties of not only Islamists, but also political dissidents in general, with as few legal obstacles as possible.
Egypt Universal Periodic Review Outcome Statement
As in its previous UPR cycles, Egypt has rejected key recommendations on critically important human rights issues, including establishing a moratorium on the application of the death penalty with a view to abolishing it and ending brutal crackdowns on peaceful dissent and restrictions on freedom of assembly.
Egypt minister accuses Muslim Brotherhood of hatching coronavirus plot against military
Egypt’s minister of religious affairs has been ridiculed after alleging that the Muslim Brotherhood is seeking to spread the coronavirus among members of the armed forces, police, judiciary, and media.
Government’s deceptive UPR engagement called out by CIHRS at Human Rights Council
The failure of the Egyptian government to uphold its obligations according to the constitution and international law was subject to wide criticism during the interactive dialogue on the adoption of the UPR Report of Egypt on 12 March during the session of Egypt’s Universal Periodic Review outcome within the activities of the forty-third session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The undersigned rights organizations denounce the one-year prison sentence of human rights lawyer Zyad Elelaimy, and demand his unconditional release and the dropping of all charges against him.
Foreign Policy
Egypt Seeks EU Support to Resolve Renaissance Dam Crisis
After touring seven Arab states to press his country’s case in the dispute with Ethiopia over the Nile dam, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Thursday Brussels and Paris, asking European Union officials to push Ethiopia on signing an agreement with Cairo on the filling and operation of the dam.
Egypt’s Sisi sends messages on GERD to Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian counterparts
During their meetings with the foreign ministers of the three North African countries, the delegation members handed them messages by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue for delivery to his counterparts in the three countries, a statement by the foreign ministry said on Sunday.
Economy
Egypt’s stock market suspends trade on 79 shares as market dips below 5% decline benchmark
Following global stock market deterioration, the Egyptian Stock Market (EGX) continued its deteriorating performance for the second day in a row on the back of the coronavirus pandemic.
Egypt’s Sisi issues law amending provisions of anti-money laundering law
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved amendments on Sunday to certain provisions of Law No. 80/2002 promulgating the Anti-Money Laundering Law.
Coronavirus likely to increase US dollar exchange rate in Egypt: Experts
Experts anticipate that the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus will increase the US dollar’s exchange rate against the Egyptian pound.
Domestic Security
Egypt adopts raft of measures to combat coronavirus spread
Forty additional people have tested positive for COVID-19, and two more people have died due to complications from the virus, the health ministry announced on Monday night.
Egypt quarantines 300 families in Daqahliya after coronavirus cases detected
Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed says that three hundred families have been placed under quarantine in the Nile Delta’s Daqahliya governorate after a number of coronavirus cases were detected and a second death was confirmed in the governorate on Monday.
UPDATED: Egypt to suspend int’l flights over coronavirus
Egypt will suspend international flights to and from the country as of Thursday 19 March till 31 March 2020 over Coronavirus concerns, Egyptian Prime minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Monday.
Coronavirus in Egypt: Panic Buying As Total Rises to 126 Cases
Egypt’s Ministry of Health and the regional office of the World Health Organization announced sixteen new cases of COVID-19 late Sunday, raising the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country to 126.
Egypt adopts a series of precautionary measures against coronavirus
Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Saturday that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s decision to close schools and universities is a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Egypt’s health ministry denies The Guardian claims that 19,000 Egyptians contracted coronavirus
Egypt’s Ministry of Health said that reports published by The Guardian newspaper, estimating the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt at more than nineteen thousand, are “completely false.”
Two trains collide in Cairo, Egyptian railways shut down nationwide
Two trains collided in Cairo resulting in the injury of thirteen people on Thursday afternoon, the Egyptian Railway Authority said.
Egyptian police kill 6 terrorists in North Sinai shootout
Six terrorists were killed in a shootout with police forces during a raid in Bir al-Abd city in North Sinai, Egypt’s interior ministry announced in a statement on Monday.
Emergency declared as Egyptians brace for floods, water cut-off expected
A state of emergency began Wednesday as Egyptians brace for a thunderstorm and heavy rains Thursday-Saturday.
From Jadaliyya
At the end of yet another round of negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan in Washington late January on the crisis of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Egypt, and the United States announced that an agreement has been reached, and they expect to sign the final draft in late February.
Arabic
“كورونا لا يفرق بين سجين أو سجان"... مطالبات بالإفراج عن المعتقلين في مصر
The article discusses the dire situation of prisoners in Egypt, as authorities are not implementing the necessary measures to protect them from the coronavirus.
خوفا من كورونا.. حملة شعبية للإفراج عن المعتقلين في مصر
Activists launched a campaign, calling on authorities to urgently release prisoners in Egypt amid the spread of COVID-19.
لماذا يترك السيسي المصريين بالفقر والديون ويشتري السلاح؟
The article examines Egypt’s arms purchases policy.
جدل مصري حول إصابة 19 ألفاً بفيروس كورونا حسب “الغارديان” و”نيويورك تايمز”
The article discusses the controversy sparked by The Guardian report claiming higher rate of Coronavirus cases in Egypt than those announced by the government.
ما فعلته السيول في أهالي «زرايب» 15 مايو
Mada Masr reports on how the recent floods hit Zarayeb garbage collectors.