[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
Heavy police presence, random searches around Tahrir ahead of Sept. 20 protest anniversary
Security forces have deployed in Tahrir Square and in areas around downtown Cairo in recent days, with armored trucks stationed in the streets and police randomly stopping and searching passers-by.
Anti-gov't protests in Egypt's Giza amid tight security presence
Dozens of anti-government protesters took to the streets in the Egyptian governorate of Giza on Sunday, despite heightened security in the country in advance of anticipated demonstrations.
Egyptian court sentences Brotherhood's Badie, others to life over 2013 Port Said incident
A Port Said criminal court sentenced to life on Saturday the leader of the banned Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Badie and other figureheads in the organization over a violent 2013 incident in the governorate that followed the ouster of late president Mohamed Morsi.
Third detainee dies in Tora Prison in 3-week-span
Amr Abu Khalil, a fifty-eight-year-old psychiatrist, died in his prison cell in the Maximum Security 2 wing of the Tora Prison complex less than a year after his arrest, according to his brother Haitham Abu Khalil.
Egypt court upholds prison sentence against TikToker for 'inciting immorality and debauchery'
An Egyptian economic appeals court upheld on Saturday a three-year jail term against TikTok influencer Manar Samy for "inciting immorality and debauchery.”
Famous TV presenter Radwa El-Sherbiny under investigation for hijab remarks
The Egyptian Supreme Council for Media Regulation, the national body concerned with overseeing the media, is opening an investigation concerning TV presenter Radwa al-Sherbiny after she said on her show that women who wear the hijab are “better” than those who do not.
Egyptian ‘TikTok’ Star Menna Abdel Aziz Released: Lawyers
Egypt’s public prosecution ordered the release of TikTok star Menna Abdel Aziz, who was sexually assaulted and beaten in May by twenty-five-year-old Mazen Ibrahem and his accomplices, according to her lawyers Hoda Nasrallah and Hazem Salah al-Din.
Egypt’s political parties see internal disputes over parliament elections
Divisions have arisen inside the Free Egyptians and al-Wafd political parties, as Egypt’s political parties prepare to run campaigns for the upcoming House of Representatives elections on 24 October.
Vote-counting in Egypt's Senate run-offs kicks off Wednesday night
Polling stations closed in fourteen governorates nationwide on Wednesday at 9 pm, wrapping up the two-day run-offs for Egypt's Senate elections were held Tuesday and Wednesday amid tight security and strict precautionary measures against the coronavirus pandemic.
Egypt's Mostaqbal Watan Party leads coalition to run in parliamentary elections
In a press conference on Sunday evening, Egypt's Mostaqbal Watan (Future of the Homeland) Party announced that it has formed a coalition comprising sixteen political parties, aiming to run for 284 seats allocated to party lists.
Egypt kicks off House of Representatives elections on 21 October
Egypt’s National Elections Authority (NEA) called on eligible voters in Egypt and abroad to cast their ballots in the upcoming House of Representatives elections, scheduled to start on 21 October.
Egypt's top appeals court upholds sentence against Mubarak-era politician Safwat El-Sherif
Egypt’s Court of Cassation upheld on Tuesday a three-year imprisonment sentence against Safwat al-Sherif, who served as information minister under late President Hosni Mubarak, for making illicit gains.
Four policemen detained over death of young man in Giza's Al-Mounib
An Egyptian prosecutor’s office has ordered the detention of four policemen suspected of causing the death of a young man in a working-class Giza district two weeks ago.
Egypt gov't received 1 million reconciliation requests over building violations: Minister
Egypt has received over one million reconciliation requests over building violations nationwide, Local Development Minister Mahmoud Shaarawy announced on Tuesday.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) called for the release of Reda Abdel Rahman, a teacher at the al-Azhar Institute in Kafr Saqr, Sharqia Governorate, and the dropping of the charges against him and others for publishing what is known as Qur’anism.
The Public Prosecution issued a decision yesterday after Menna spent 114 days detained as a defendant in pretrial detention—a procedure that was later replaced by her being placed, and ordered not to leave, in one of the Ministry of Social Solidarity shelters for hosting and protecting battered women.
Foreign Policy
Egypt denounces Turkey's statements on developments in Egypt following Morsi's 2013 ouster
Egypt denounced on Saturday statements by Turkey regarding the country’s political developments in connection with the 30 June revolution, describing the Turkish comments as “preposterous claims.”
Egypt, Greece agree to reject ‘provocative actions’ in Eastern Mediterranean
Egypt and Greece have agreed to push ahead with a rejection of what they described as " provocative actions" that destabilize and agitate the Eastern Mediterranean region, by developing their bilateral relations and contacting the concerned international parties.
Egypt’s FM urges 'active negotiations' to settle Libya crisis, dismantling foreign militias
Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry stressed to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in a phone call on Monday the necessity of moving to "active negotiations" to reach the desired political settlement in Libya.
Egypt expresses 'full support' for Saudi-led coalition's actions against Houthis in Yemen
Egypt has expressed its “full support” for actions by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition against armed Houthi rebels in Yemen, saying the Iran-backed movement’s practices further inflame the situation in Yemen.
Egypt’s Sisi welcomes Bahrain-Israel agreement to normalise relations
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday welcomed an agreement by Bahrain and Israel to normalise relations and establish diplomatic ties, calling it a “historic step” toward regional stability and peace.
Egypt, Armenia agree on importance of counteracting external interference in region
Egypt and Armenia agreed on the importance of counteracting external interferences by parties who seek their own benefit at the expense of security and stability in the region, a statement by the Egyptian presidency read on Monday.
Economy
Farewell to worker participation in the management of the public business sector
When Egypt signed on to a twelve billion US dollars loan in 2016, it pledged to make significant changes to the public business sector. Four years later and with another 5.2 billion US dollars from the IMF in hand—whose terms reiterated the initial mandate—the government is taking up the task of “redefining the role of state-owned companies in Egypt.”
Egypt signs 6 new gas exploration agreements worth $731m
The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) is finalizing six new natural gas agreements worth a total of 731million US dollars in investments and a signature bonus estimated at fourteen million US dollars, the company revealed on Sunday.
Domestic Security
At the close of August, unofficial reports began to spread that the Armed Forces had “liberated” one of the four villages southwest of the North Sinai city of Bir al-Abd and would allow displaced residents to return after the Province of Sinai took control of the towns in late July.
Egypt will no longer allow building violations in villages and cities, says PM
Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the Egyptian government will confront any attempt to build in a random manner on state lands to end what he described as "the bleeding of haphazard construction."
Egypt’s battle over buildings: The government takes on informal housing
According to the unified building law, before any construction can begin, landowners must submit a request to their local municipality to obtain a license determining that the land is eligible to be built on.
Arabic
أول يوم سجن: انتهاكات جنسية وفحوصات طبية انتقائية
The article examines the use of systematic sexual assault in Egyptian prisons.
المبادرة المصرية: 49 حكم إعدام في أغسطس..وباحثة تتوقع المزيد من تغليظ التشريعات
Forty-nine defendants were sentenced to death during August 2020, according to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
حدود ساخنة: مصر واليونان ترسمان خطًا أحمر في مواجهة "الوطن الأزرق"
Al-Manassa discusses Egypt-Greece maritime agreement and the geopolitical competition between regional players in the Mediterranean.
«مصر الجديدة» جديدة.. مشروع تطوير شركة إسكان حكومية
The article examines the development strategy of Misr al-Gadida for Housing and Development company.