[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
A New Generation of Dissenters Dies in Egyptian Prison
In Egypt, it seems, there is nothing left to crack down upon. The Egyptian General Prosecution’s office issued a rare statement this week saying that protecting “the cyber border” is a new front in deterring enemies. With so many journalists, activists, and politically active young people already incarcerated, anyone with any influence is a potential challenge to the Sisi regime. Lately, Instagram influencers who have large followings for their innocuous content, romance blogs and makeup tutorials, have been arrested. Any space not heavily monitored by the regime poses a threat.
Egyptian media regulator bans journalists from using pseudonyms
The Egyptian Supreme Council for Media Regulation has forbidden journalists or writers contributing articles to any newspaper or website from using a pseudonymous byline without first obtaining written consent from the council.
Autopsy confirms alcohol poisoning caused the death of Egyptian filmmaker Shady Habash: Prosecution
Egyptian prosecutors have said that an autopsy report on young Egyptian filmmaker Shady Habash has confirmed that he died in prison due to alcohol poisoning, a statement by the prosecution said late on Sunday.
Since March, the Interior Ministry has stopped bringing detainees to court for remand hearings, as part of its measures to counter the coronavirus. These measures also meant that Shady was denied family visits, which adversely affected Shady’s mental and physical health, his lawyer said.
Egypt prosecutors release journalists Moataz Wadnan and Mostafa El-Aasar on bail
Egypt’s supreme state security prosecution released journalists Moataz Wadnan and Mostafa al-Aasar on bail on Thursday, both of whom were detained on charges in a case known as “the media hub of the Muslim Brotherhood.”
American schoolteacher imprisoned in Egypt is released
An American schoolteacher imprisoned in Egypt for nearly a year without trial has been freed by Egyptian authorities and returned home to the United States, the State Department said Monday.
Egypt’s Prosecution and Fair Trial Guarantees
The article explores Egypt’s prosecution and the impact of recent developments on the judicial system and the practice of law in Egypt.
Families of imprisoned Muslim Brotherhood members are calling on Egyptian authorities to release their relatives in exchange for a pledge to never again participate in politics, as well as a hefty donation to a state-run fund for each prisoner, according to a London-based source with close ties to the group.
Misinfo, Disinfo, and Fake News in Egypt’s COVID-19 “Infodemic”
Egypt has unfortunately not been spared this “infodemic.” Because the Egyptian government’s frequently exaggerated claims of fake news allegedly concocted by bad actors as a cover for censorship at large, it is all the more difficult for concerned citizens to reasonably evaluate the extent of actual misinformation.
Egypt’s Most Vulnerable and COVID-19
For Egypt’s refugee community, numbering 256,632 officially registered asylum-seekers and refugees, COVID-19 has been particularly difficult. Not eligible for government cash assistance and without financial support from non-profit organizations, many refugees now find themselves unemployed and unable to receive any help.
Egyptian court renews detention of TikTok influencer Haneen Hossam
A Cairo court ordered the fifteen-day detention renewal of Egyptian TikTok influencer Haneen Hossam after accepting an appeal by the general prosecution against a previous court rule which ordered her release.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigates the response to and level of worry of the community about the virus. It also investigates the infection control measures taken by public spaces to limit transmission.
Egyptian Medical Syndicate accuses hospital head of putting staff at risk of coronavirus infection
The Egyptian Medical Syndicate (EMS) filed a report with the country’s public prosecutor on Sunday against the head of a quarantine hospital in Alexandria for allegedly compromising the safety of doctors by violating infection control codes, a union and a judicial source 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.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights called on authorities to apply the necessary measures in detention facilities and prisons to reduce crowding and limit the spread of the virus, including police vehicles used to transfer people arrested for violating curfew and closure measures. When enforcing these legal measures, the authorities should always consider their primary objective—protecting lives and minimizing gatherings and density.
Foreign Policy
The article examines Egypt’s diplomacy to safeguard its share of Nile water.
Egypt receives African Group's presidency at the United Nations
The Egyptian diplomat called on the African Group to focus on a number of issues in its talks with international organizations during the forthcoming period, including getting access to medical supplies and external debt relief, in addition to providing necessary support for migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons.
Economy
Egypt may deploy 'austerity measures' if fallout from coronavirus continues
Egypt has said it might turn to “austerity measures” if the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic extends into the new fiscal year, which begins in July.
Egypt parliament approves new fees on gasoline and diesel fuel
Egypt’s parliament–the House of Representatives–approved on Monday a draft law aiming to impose “a financial development fee” on a number of items including gasoline and diesel fuel, athlete contracts, the licensing of sporting services, and pet food.
Egypt's core inflation rises to 2.5% in April: CBE
The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has announced that the monthly core consumer price index CPI inflation, computed by the CBE, recorded 1 percent in April 2020, up from 0.4 percent in the same month in 2019 and from 0.4 percent recorded in March 2020.
Egypt receives $2.77 bln in IMF emergency financing
Egypt has received 2.77 billion US dollars in emergency financing from the International Monetary Fund, its state news agency reported on Tuesday, citing a senior central bank source.
Egypt's parliament approves in principle amendments to public business sector law
Egypt’s Minister of the Public Business Sector Hisham Tawfik announced that parliament’s economic affairs committee has approved in principle the amendments to Law no. 203 of 1991 that regulates the public business sector and its companies.
Egypt to witness setback in domestic growth rates in short term to under 3% in FY2020/2021: Moody’s
Egypt’s total budget deficit-to-GDP ratio is expected to reach 7.9 percent in the current FY2019/2020 and to increase to 8.5 percent in FY2020/2021, with the ability of attaining initial surpluses in lower numbers than the targeted rates that were expected before, according to Moody’s recent report.
Domestic Security
Egypt surpasses 10,000 coronavirus cases; death toll rises to 544
Egypt announced 347 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number to 10,093, the health ministry announced.
The Cairo Doctors’ Syndicate has called on health authorities to designate a special isolation hospital for coronavirus patients among medical staff in the capital to help quickly deal with positive cases.
Sixth Egyptian nurse dies of coronavirus: Nursing Syndicate
The sixth fatality comes a few days after the syndicate announced the death of nurse Atyat Arboud after she contracted the virus during her work in Damanhour’s Chest Hospital.
Egyptian police forces take down condemned gang leader in Assiut
Police forces killed on Sunday a gang leader who had been sentenced to death during a shootout in al-Badari city in Assuit governorate, Egypt’s interior ministry said in a statement.
Egypt's parliament votes in favour of extending state of emergency for 3 months
Egypt's parliament–the House of Representatives–approved Monday on a presidential decree (168/2020) extending the country’s state of emergency for three more months.
Arabic
954 وفاة داخل مراكز الاحتجاز في مصر منذ 2013
A total of 958 prisoners in Egypt died between June 2013 and November 2019, according to Committee for Justice report.
استثناء العمالة غير المنتظمة.. تفاصيل اقترح نقيب الأطباء المقدم للوزراء لتطبيق الحظر الشامل (خاص)
The Doctors Syndicate demanded stricter lockdown measures, with news released on Saturday of a proposal that would keep most laborers in Egypt at home.
In this interview, Dr. Mona Mina discussed the urgent need to implement general lockdown in Egypt, to combat the spread of the coronavirus outbreak as infections are increasing exponentially.
ما تحتاج معرفته عن تراجع الاحتياطي الأجنبي
The article discusses causes and effects of Egypt’s falling foreign reserves.