[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: Shady Habash, filmmaker who mocked el-Sisi, dies in prison
An Egyptian filmmaker imprisoned without trial for more than two years for making a music video that mocked President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has died at a maximum-security prison complex, two human rights lawyers said.
Rights group calls on Egypt to release two disappeared women
Egyptian authorities arbitrarily arrested and forcibly disappeared two women in recent days, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), which called on the government to fully disclose their whereabouts.
Egypt's parliament to discuss laws on emergency extension, police authority and banking sector
Egypt's prime minister will address parliament on Sunday on the president's decision to extend the state of emergency for three months.
Egypt releases 4,011 prisoners on Sinai Liberation Day
Egypt's Prisons Authority, which operates under the auspices of the interior ministry, ordered on Thursday the release of 4,100 prisoners on the occasion of the Sinai Liberation day, which falls on 25 April.
Egypt's courts partially resume work on Sunday
Egyptian courts resumed work on Sunday following suspension since mid-March as part of measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the website of the National Media Authority said.
Egypt's Prosecutor General Hamada al-Sawy has referred three people to criminal court for "holding a gathering" amid the coronavirus crisis and violating restrictions imposed by the government aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
PM prolongs prosecution of defendants in precise crimes by State Security Emergency Courts
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued a decree on Tuesday providing that the crimes of unlicensed mass gatherings, transportation hindering, thuggery, arms trafficking, and black-market trade of staples are to be referred by the public prosecution to state security emergency courts instead of criminal courts.
Foreign Policy
Egypt supports political solution in Libya but rejects negotiations with 'terrorist groups'
Egypt supports a political solution in Libya despite the recent tensions in the country, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok sent two separate letters to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week rejecting his proposal for a transitional agreement on an initial filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in mid-July, according to three separate sources.
Egypt affirms rejection of Israeli annexation of occupied lands in West Bank, Jordanian Valley
Egypt affirmed its steady and unchangeable stance towards the Palestinian cause, rejecting the Israeli unilateral move of annexation of the occupied lands in the West Bank and Jordanian Valley.
Egypt voices support for Riyadh deal on Yemen, hails Saudi, Emirati efforts
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry voiced support for the Riyadh agreement in 2019, which aims to settle the crisis in Yemen and called for cancelling any step that contradicts with this agreement.
Economy
‘Proactive steps’: Egypt seeks IMF help to fight coronavirus
Egypt has asked the International Monetary Fund for financial assistance to shore up investor confidence in the economy as authorities work to offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Egypt’s electricity consumption rates fall amid coronavirus outbreak
The Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EgyptERA) announced that the country’s electricity consumption rates have decreased between four and seven percent compared to the same period of last year, as a result of measures against the coronavirus shutting down malls and commercial facilities.
Egypt's agricultural exports exceed 2.4 Million tons since January: Minister
Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation al-Sayed al-Quseir said on Wednesday that the volume of Egyptian agricultural exports increased to more than 2.4 million tons during the period from January to April 202.
Domestic Security
126 takfiris killed in Sinai raids; 15 army personnel 'killed or injured': Armed Forces
Egypt's armed forces killed 126 takfiris in northern and central Sinai during operations “in the past period,” a statement by the military read on Sunday, and the operations resulted in the “death or injury” of fifteen army personnel.
Egypt's police kill 18 'terrorists' in North Sinai shootout
Egypt’s police killed eighteen “terrorists" in a shootout in North Sinai’s Bir al-Abd city, the interior ministry announced Sunday morning, days after an Islamic State group claimed a terrorist attack in which ten Egyptian military personnel were “killed or wounded” in the same area.
Ten Egyptian soldiers ‘killed or wounded’ by IED in North Sinai: Spox
Ten Egyptian military personnel were “killed or wounded” when an improvised explosive device was detonated in North Sinai on Thursday, the Egyptian military said.
Egypt starts plasma therapy trials to treat coronavirus patients
Egypt’s health ministry announced on Thursday it has started trials on plasma collected from donors who recovered from the coronavirus to test whether plasma can be an effective treatment for patients who are severely ill with the disease.
Nurses at Mansoura hospital strike to demand coronavirus testing
Nurses at Mansoura Health Insurance Hospital went on strike on Tuesday after the Egyptian Health Ministry refused to test them for coronavirus.
Egypt's Sisi extends state of emergency for 3 months
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has issued a decree extending a nationwide state of emergency for three months starting Tuesday, state news agency MENA said.
Arabic
The article looks into how Bir al-Abd became part of the battlefield between the armed forces and the province of Sinai.
مصر وكورونا وصندوق النقد الدولي.. دردشة مبكرة حول القرض الجديد
The article examines Egypt IMF support request for rapid financing to offset the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
حرية الفكر والتعبير تطالب النائب العام بالتحقيق في ملابسات وفاة “شادي حبش”
The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) demanded thorough and transparent investigation into Shadi’s death in Tora prison, as some reports indicated medical negligence to his health deterioration.
نيابة أمن الدولة العليا تقرر حبس مروة عرفة 15 يومًا بتهمة الانضمام إلى جماعة إرهابية
The Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered detention of Marwa Arafa for fifteen days, pending investigations, over charges of joining a terrorist group.
