[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
The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) calls on the Ministry of Interior of Egypt to release Ahmed Samir Santawy, the researcher who has been arbitrarily detained after voluntarily going to the police station in the Fifth Settlement district in Cairo on February 1, 2021 upon an earlier request from police officials to attend there.
Graduate student Ahmed Samir Santawy, who had been held incommunicado since February 1, has been ordered held in remand for fifteen days by the State Security Prosecution, according to his lawyers.
Detained journalist Solafa Magdy has accused police officers and personnel at Qanater Prison of physical assault, harassment and intimidation, according to legal complaints filed to several state authorities by Magdy’s defense team on Saturday.
Blogger Abdel Rahman Tarek, known as “Mocha,” ended on Wednesday a fifty-three-day hunger strike in protest of his prolonged remand detention, his lawyer and sister told Mada Masr on Thursday.
Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Hussein released from jail in Egypt
Egypt has released Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein after more than four years in detention without formal charges or trial.
Police assault on lawyers sparks 4-day general assembly at Marsa Matrouh syndicate branch
An assault on six lawyers at a police station in Marsa Matrouh has sparked outrage among fellow lawyers, who have held an ongoing general assembly for the last four days to demand disciplinary action against the police officers.
Ruling issued in favor of NGO for disbursal of 1.5 mn euros ‘facade of judicial fairness’
An administrative court ruling over the weekend that greenlit the disbursal of 1.5 million euros to the Sadat Association for Social Development & Welfare “merely puts up a facade of judicial fairness,” the head of the NGO embroiled in the state’s crackdown on international funding to civil society’ organizations told Mada Masr on Sunday.
TikTok Content Creator Haneen Hossam Released from Jail Pending Trial
The decision to release Hossam on bail pending her trial was issued by a judge last week, but was appealed by the Public Prosecution, which was then overruled by the court, according to Youm7.
Cairo Court sentences Sama al-Masry to one year in prison over violating morals
On Wednesday, Cairo’s Economic Court turned down an appeal filed by actress Samia Ahmed Attia Abdel Rahman, known better as for “Sama al-Masry”, against a previous court ruling sentencing her to one year in prison and a fine of 100,000 Egyptian pounds over charges of “violating public modesty and immorality.”
Parliament continues review of government performance
Egypt’s House of Representatives continued, on Sunday, to listen to statements by ministers in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, in order to review each ministry’s plans, state media has reported.
Head of the House of Representatives’ Human Rights Committee Tarek Radwan held on Monday a meeting with chairman of the National Press Authority Abdel-Sadeq El-Shorbagy to discuss aspects of bilateral cooperation and joint action with the aim of responding to allegations and false reports about human rights conditions in Egypt.
Probe with a number of newspapers, websites into ‘exaggerating the publication of unethical content’
Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation referred a number of websites and newspapers to urgent investigations, due to exaggerating the publication of “unethical content” that offend society, the family, and those who dealt with them.
Over 1,500 residents petitioned on Thursday to prevent the construction of a new flyover bridge in the upscale northeast Cairo district of Heliopolis, one of the Heliopolis Heritage Initiative campaign’s organizers told Mada Masr.
Foreign Policy
Sisi stresses to PM-designate Al-Hariri Egypt's support for the aspirations of the Lebanese people
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has reiterated to Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Saad Al-Hariri Egypt's support to Beirut, expressing his well wishes to Al-Hariri in forming a new cabinet in a manner that fulfils the aspirations of the Lebanese people to achieve security and stability.
Egyptian, Portuguese FMs discuss GERD developments, promoting European-African cooperation
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed with his Portuguese counterpart, Augusto Santos Silva, the latest developments related to the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), stressing Egypt's stance based on the importance of reaching a legally binding agreement.
Egypt’s Sisi discusses latest developments of GERD with South African counterpart
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Tuesday the latest developments in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, the Egyptian presidency stated.
Egypt’s defence minister discusses issues of mutual concern with AU Commission chairperson
Egypt’s Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki and the African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki discussed a number of issues of mutual interest in a meeting in Cairo on Monday.
Egyptian ambassador to US briefs Congressional aides on Cairo's stance in the GERD dispute
The Egyptian embassy in the US held a virtual meeting on Monday with Congress aides from the House and Senate to discuss Cairo's stance towards the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations and developments.
Egypt’s Sisi stresses importance of inter-Arab intelligence cooperation at Arab Intelligence Forum
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed the importance of inter-Arab intelligence cooperation on Monday during the inauguration of the Arab Intelligence Forum 2021 in Cairo, the Egyptian presidency said.
Egyptian, French air forces conclude air drills in Egypt
Egyptian and French air forces concluded air drills on Tuesday at one of the Egyptian air force bases, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced.
President Al-Sisi phones Tunisian counterpart after ‘failed poison attempt’
During the call, both sides agreed to continue consultations and coordination over regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Egyptian Presidential statement added.
Egyptian MPs criticize US Congressman Tom Malinowski for supporting Muslim Brotherhood
Head of Egyptian parliament's Human Rights Committee Tarek Radwan sharply criticized US Congressman Tom Malinowski for his support of Muslim Brotherhood activists and political Islam movements.
Economy
Egyptian expat remittances reach $27.1 bln in 11 months: Central bank
Remittances from Egyptians working abroad reached 27.1 billion US dollars from January to November 2020, up from 24.2 billion US dollars a year prior, an increase of 11.9 percent, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said in a statement on Monday.
Egypt’s central bank to review key interest rates Thursday for first time in 2021
In its last meeting, held on 24 December, the MPC decided to keep the CBE’s key interest rates unchanged to stand at 8.25 percent, 9.25 percent, and 8.75 percent for overnight deposit rate, overnight lending rate, and the rate of the main operation, respectively.
Egypt’s gold prices fall during morning trading, rise 1 pound at evening
Gold prices on Tuesday decreased at the beginning of morning trading, hitting the same prices on Monday morning after rising by one pound during Monday evening due to global gold prices for 24 karat, 23 karat, 21 karat, and the gold pound.
Cabinet denies intentions to privatize essential public services
The Cabinet’s Media Center has denied news that has been circulating regarding the possible privatization of government services provided to citizens in the health, education, and transport sectors.
Federation of Egyptian Banks contributes EGP 500m towards COVID-19 vaccine
The Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB), headed by Mohamed El-Etreby, has contributed five hundred million Egyptian pounds towards Egypt’s purchase of vaccines for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Sources close to the handling of Egypt’s COVID-19 response who have spoken to Mada Masr in recent weeks say that the government is considering various measures to try to finance the vaccine rollout. Chief among these include turning to black-box funds outside state control and partnerships with the private sector, while making vaccination voluntary, a step-analysts say- is “an attempt to manufacture a loophole that would allow the vaccine not to be offered free of charge for everyone.”
Domestic Security
Egypt approves emergency use of AstraZeneca vaccine
Egypt has approved the emergency use of Chinese sinopharm vaccine and the UK- AstraZeneca vaccine according to Minster of Health Hala Zayed.
Egypt receives shipment of 150K oxygen liters
Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed indicated in a statement Wednesday that a shipment of 150,000 liters of oxygen arrived at Safaga airport coming from Saudi Arabia.
Arabic
45 يوم حبس إضافية لباتريك والتهمة المحتملة “مشاركته في ثورة يناير”!
Patrik George Zaki’s pre-trial detention was renewed for another forty-five days.
احمر ، أخضر .. العنب ، هل هو خطر على الامن القومي ؟ عن تعسف إدارة السجون في إدخال الأطعمة للسجناء
Families of prisoners of conscience talk about the authorities’ refusal to allow the entry of food to their detained relatives.
«ليه مش ببلاش للجميع؟».. ما نعرفه عن أزمة تمويل لقاح كورونا
Egypt kicked off its vaccination campaign with a live television broadcast of a nurse and a doctor from Ismalia’s Abou Khalifa isolation hospital on January 24.
المجلس الأعلى للإعلام: تحقيقات عاجلة مع مواقع وصحف بسبب الإسراف في نشر القضايا الأخلاقية
Egypt's Supreme Media Council announces a number of investigations against websites and newspapers over “moral issues”.
The parliament discusses new amendments to the counter-terrorism law enacted in 2015.
Cairo Criminal Court adjourned the retrial against Muslim Brotherhood leader Mahmoud Ezzat in the case known as "the incidents of Guidance office," until April 8.
Cairo Criminal Court postponed the trial of former Minister of Housing in the case known as “green belt” to March 8.
محام: الجنح تخلي سبيل المخرج مؤمن حسن بضمان محل إقامته.. والنيابة تستأنف القرار
After ordered released in case No. 622 of 2021, Qasr al-Nile Misdemeanor Court renewed the detention of director and screenwriter Moamen Hassan, over charges of “use of the internet for terrorist purposes”, according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.