[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
State Council ruling allows imprisoned activist Alaa Abd El Fattah to receive books, letters Imprisoned political activist Alaa Abd al-Fattah will be permitted to receive books, letters and published materials after an administrative court ruled on Tuesday against the Tora Prison authority’s practice of denying him reading materials, according to Hassan al-Azhary, a lawyer at the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression.
Journalist detained for Geneina interview reported missing The family of journalist Moataz Wadnan, who recently conducted an interview with former top auditor Hesham Geneina, filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s office on Monday asserting that he has been illegally detained, according to lawyer Ezzat Ghoneim.
16 accused of illegal assembly outside police station following Afroto’s death ordered to be released Sixteen detainees accused of assembling illegally in front of the Moqattam Police Station were ordered to be released on Monday on 5,000 LE bail each, according to lawyer Karim Abdel Rady.
Misdemeanors Court reduces activist Ahmed Douma’s 3-year prison sentence to a LE10,000 fine The Maadi Court of Misdemeanors reduced activist Ahmed Douma’s sentence for insulting the judiciary to a 10,000 LE fine on Saturday, after the Cairo Criminal Court had originally issued him a three-year prison sentence, as well as the fine, in December 2014.
Court sentences 9 people to 2 years imprisonment for inciting protests in Azhar Park case An emergency state security court in Cairo sentenced nine people to two years in prison on Thursday after they were convicted of “possession of flyers, mobile phones and a laptop with the intention to incite protests and spread rumors.”
Prosecution orders detention of Hesham Geneina’s interviewer Moataz Wadnan for 15 days The Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered on Wednesday the detention, pending investigation, for fifteen days, of Huffpost journalist Moataz Wadnan, who interviewed prominent opposition figure and former top auditor Hesham Geneina.
Abouel Fotouh’s family: Police claim he knowingly harbored criminals on family-owned land a ‘trumped up charge’ The family of Strong Egypt Party head Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh denied claims by the Interior Ministry that the detained politician owns a farm where he knowingly permitted fugitives to hide out, in a statement at 11 pm on Wednesday.
Strong Egypt Party’s dissolution? Explaining the legal procedures required to dissolve political parties There have been successive attacks on the Strong Egypt Party over the past few days, beginning with the arrest of the party’s deputy president Mohamed al-Qassas and culminating with that of the party’s president Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh.
Amid allegations of sexual misconduct, Khaled Ali resigns from party and ECESR Lawyer and former presidential candidate Khaled Ali announced his formal resignation from the Bread and Freedom Party, and from his position as a lawyer for the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, on Monday, following accusations of sexual misconduct.
Overview: How Egypt's presidents came to power Ahram Online outlines the history of Egypt’s presidents, from 1953 to the upcoming 2018 elections
Economy
Food and fuel crises in Arish intensify on 13th day of Operation Sinai 2018 The city of Arish is beginning to show signs of a food crisis, thirteen days into the Armed Forces’ Operation Sinai 2018. Main markets have been devoid of fresh produce and supermarket shelves have been scarcely stocked with food products since 11 February, as the military campaign has halted all transportation in and out of North Sinai cities.
Formal housing increasingly inaccessible as rent control phased out: Built Environment Observatory As rent control has reduced over the last forty years, and been replaced by more competitive market rates, many are finding formal housing increasingly inaccessible, according to a report published by the Cairo-based Built Environment Observatory.
Video | In the last days of ‘The Triangle’ The Cairo Governorate has given families remaining in the Maspero Triangle one final week to vacate their houses before the neighborhood’s imminent development project. In this video, Mada Masr captures residents’ comments on their final negotiations with authorities, as well as the emptying housing units awaiting demolition.
Foreign Relations
Private Egyptian energy company signs US$15b deals to import gas from Israel Delek and Noble Energy, the lead partners managing Israel’s largest gas fields, signed two binding agreements valued at fifteen billion USD to export gas to private Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings, Delek Drilling announced on Monday.
Egypt MP requests petroleum minister be summoned to explain reports of gas deal with Israel Egyptian leftist MP Abdel-Hamid Kamal, who represents the governorate of Suez, has submitted an urgent information request on Tuesday asking that Petroleum Minister Tarek al-Molla be summoned to parliament as soon as possible to explain to MPs reports that Israel has signed two agreements to sell gas to Egypt.
Egypt's Sisi meets with leaders of US Christian evangelical delegation Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met on Saturday with the leaders of a Christian evangelical community delegation from the United States that is visiting Cairo, holding discussions on recent developments in the war of terrorism.
BBC report on torture in Egypt contains 'lies and allegations': State Information Service Egypt's official State Information Service has described a recent BBC report on human rights and torture in the country as containing "lies and allegations," saying it will summon the head of the BBC's office in Egypt "to receive an official letter" of response.
Sudanese ambassador to return to Cairo within days: Sudan FM Sudan's ambassador to Cairo will return to the Egyptian capital within days, ending an absence of several weeks since January, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Ghandour announced on Saturday in Khartoum.
Egyptian security delegation arrives in Gaza for discussions with Hamas on faltering reconciliation accord A top Egyptian security delegation arrived in the Palestinian Gaza Strip Sunday to follow up on the implementation of a stumbling political reconciliation agreement between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.
Egypt's FM to affirm stance on Israeli-Palestinian peace process during Brussels, Geneva meetings Egypt is set to affirm its stance on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the necessity of declaring the Middle East a region free from weapons of mass destruction, specifically nuclear weapons, before two international conferences in Brussels and Geneva.
Egypt to open Rafah border crossing with Gaza for second time in two weeks Egyptian authorities will open the Rafah border crossing with Palestine’s Gaza Strip in both directions for four days starting Wednesday for humanitarian purposes and to allow stranded Palestinians to return to the Strip.
Egypt and Greece: Guarding common interests Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos on 16 February on the sidelines of the International Security Conference in Munich.
Domestic Security
Province of Sinai claims it killed 6 military personnel after carrying out 2 attacks west of Sheikh Zuwayed The Islamic State-affiliate Province of Sinai announced on Saturday that its members shot six Egyptian military personnel using snipers west of Sheikh Zuwayed, and that they exchanged fire with another group near Qabr Omayr, a village in North Sinai.
Province of Sinai claims attack on military battalion headquarters in North Sinai Islamic State-affiliated militant group Province of Sinai alleged that it had carried out an armed attack on the headquarters of Egypt’s Armed Forces Battalion 101 in North Sinai’s Arish on Thursday, claiming it was the base for military operations in the peninsula.
Family injured in building collapse after unidentified shells strike homes in Arish Twelve days into Operation Sinai 2018, eyewitnesses report that a number of shells fell on residential buildings in the Zohour neighborhood in south Arish on Tuesday. The bombings caused the roof of one building to cave in, injuring a family of five who was later transported to Arish Hospital for medical treatment.
Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018: A successful start As the counter-terrorist Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018 continues to unfold, communiqués released by the military spokesman indicate the operation is picking up in pace and intensity. No official timeframe has been given for the operation and experts acknowledge that it is difficult to predict how long it could take.
Egypt's army says 71 'takfiris' killed since start of Operation Sinai 2018 Egypt's army spokesman Tamer al-Refaie said at a press conference that seventy-one takfiris have been killed and five have been arrested since the start of the military's ongoing anti-terrorism Operation Sinai 2018, which will continue until it achieves its main goal of eradicating terrorism.
Egypt's Sisi tells police cadets that 'combating evil forces' not limited to Sinai only Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi told students at the country’s Police Academy on Friday morning that combating "evil forces" was not only limited to Sinai.
Egypt's Sisi inaugurates new counter-terrorism command east of Suez Canal Dressed in military uniform, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated on Sunday the East of the Suez Canal Counter-Terrorism command, a statement by presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
محمد عبد القهار: ننتقي من التاريخ ما يشبه واقعنا An interview with novelist Mohamed Abdel-Kahar.
Arabic
لماذا تقدمت كوبا وتأخرت مصر؟ ورقة بحثية بحلولٍ مقترحة لملف الصحة في مصر Sasapost explores Cuba’s health care model and suggests its adoption for the Egyptian health care system to fix Egypt’s enduring problems.
ظروف قاهرة في مطار القاهرة».. كيف حوَّل إغلاق معبر رفح غزة إلى سجنٍ كبير؟» More than 150 Palestinians, including sick women, students and children, were held in Cairo International Airport following the Egyptian authorities decision to close Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
الطبقة الوسطى تقاوم التآكل بأسلحة عمالية The middle class underwent radical changes over the past years due to the drastic economic measures, prompting them to follow trade unions methods to meet their social demands and improve their living and working conditions.
عام بعد التقشف: ماذا ينتظر الطبقات الوسطى في مصر؟ The article discusses the social and political repercussions of the economic crisis and austerity measures on the Egyptian middle class.
البنا والأعصر.. اختفاء قسري يصب في نيابة أمن الدولة Journalist Hasan al-Banna and researcher Mustafa al-Aasar appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution earlier this week as defendants in state security case No. 441 of 2018 after two weeks of disappearance. On Sunday, the Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to postpone their investigations to Monday's session, the human rights lawyer Halim Hanish said.
يا عيش وملح وماء.. أين راحت أغنيات الثورة؟ Protest songs associated with January Revolution 2011 were replaced by old national songs at national events, fading out the revolutionary spirit.
صادرات مصر الزراعية.. نمو ضعيف وحظر متكرر رغم تطوير النظم الرقابية Despite the improvement of Egyptian exports as a result of the devaluation of the Egyptian pound, the growth of agricultural exports is still very small, according to official data.
توقعات حل «مصر القوية»: ما هي الإجراءات القانونية الواجب اتباعها؟ Members of « Strong Egypt » expect that the party will be dissolved after security forces were assembled in front of the party’s headquarter.
«فيديو| آخر أيام «مثلث ماسبيرو Mada Masr investigates the gradual evacuation of the Maspero triangle area in preparation for its demolition and the start of the development project.
خمس ملاحظات حول سيناء 2018 Amr Hamzawy reflects on the Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018.
مرصد الأزهر يبدأ في نشر دراسة حول مسارات مسلحي داعش بعد انهيار دولتهم Al-Azhar Observatory to Combat Extremism prepared a study on the the fate of ISIS militants after the collapse of their alleged state in Syria and Iraq.
القضاء الإداري» تلزم «السجون» بإدخال الرسائل والصحف لعلاء عبد الفتاح بمحبسه» The Administrative Court allowed access to letters and newspapers for activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, who is currently being held in prison over « Shura Council » case.
«إخلاء سبيل 34 متهما بـ«شغب مقتل عفروتو The Appeals Chamber of the Abdeen Misdemeanor Court decided to release thirty-four persons accused of illegal protest against the killing of the young man Mohamed Abdel Hakim Afrotto in police station who was held over charges of drug trafficking.
الأهرام والأخبار وكيلان حصريان للقناة الأولى The National Information Authority signed a cooperation agreement with Al Ahram and Al-Akhbar news agencies as exclusive publicists for channel 1 on the Egyptian television.
"محامون مصريون لا هم لهم سوى الحفاظ على "سمعة مصر Pro-state lawyers are exploiting the Egyptian law in the fight against freedom of expression, under the pretext of maintaining Egypt's reputation.
انتشار ظاهرة الباعة الجائلين.. والتعامل الأمني يفاقم الأزمة The phenomenon of street vendors spread in an unprecedented manner, amid the absence of radical solutions.
مخاوف من نقل «العباسية».. ومطالب بالتوسع في مستشفيات النفسية Many expressed concern about the transfer of Abbasiya hospital to a new city, after the Ministry of Health announced the allocation of a land in the city of Badr to build a mental health hospital.
"السيسي يحسم الجدل حول استيراد الغاز من إسرائيل: "إحنا جبنا جون President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi denied the rumors about importing natural gas from Israel.
مكتبات الجامعات بالصعيد.. أمهات الكتب متهالكة والحديثة مفقودة The libraries of universities located in Upper Egypt lack thousands of books and scientific researches in various fields, falling short to keep pace with universal standards.
الرئيس في الميزان».. الديون واستقلال القرار الوطني» The Socialist Popular Alliance and Karamah Movement launched a campaign to assess the performance of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s first presidential term, especially in the economic sector.
وسط حملات المعارضة.. آثار توت عنخ آمون تستعد للسفر لأمريكا Antiquities of King Tutankhamun are being prepared for shipment to the United States after the approval of Prime Minister Sherif Ismail for the Tutankhamun exhibition at the California Science Center in Los Angeles from 22 March 2018 to 6 January 2019, sparking a wave of campaigns against the state’s continued reckless policy toward antiquities