[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
History shows Egypt will likely fail to abolish the human rights movement Khaled Mansour provides a historical and contemporary examination of the Egyptian state’s relationship with the human rights movement.
Rights group raises concern over ongoing prosecution of journalists The Arab Network for Human Rights Information condemned the “systematic crackdown on press freedom in Egypt,” and the trial of journalists in a statement on Wednesday, ahead of several court hearings scheduled for the coming few days.
Coptic activists denied permit to protest on Maspero anniversary The Interior Ministry denied Coptic youth activists a permit to hold a protest ahead of the fifth anniversary of the deadly Maspero clashes, citing "security reasons."
The elephant in the room (part 2): The state and sectarian violence Amr Abdel Rahman examines the history and nature of legislation and legal practices associated with tackling sectarian conflict in Egypt, as well as its limitations.
Amnesty calls for retrial of 8 men sentenced to death in military court Amnesty International called on Monday for the retrial of eight civilians who were sentenced to death by a military court before a civilian court.
Activists campaign against medical negligence in Egyptian prisons Activists launched a campaign on social media shedding light on medical negligence in Egyptian prisons.
Story of medical neglect: Former prisoner Mohand Ehab dies from leukemia Mohand Ehab died on Monday due to complications related to leukemia, a disease that he long suffered from untreated while held in an Alexandria Governorate prison, before being allowed to seek care in a New York City hospital.
Detention extended for 6 striking bus drivers accused of forming terrorist cell The State Security Prosecution extended the detention of six labor leaders employed by the Public Transport Authority by fifteen days on Wednesday, pending investigations, while leveling new accusations against them.
2 men detained on return from Libya last year sentenced to death An Egyptian court sentenced two men arrested at the Salloum border crossing with Libya last year to death on Tuesday, convicting them of being members of an armed militant group.
Egyptian court orders release of two activists in Red Sea islands case A Cairo court ordered on Sunday the release of political activists Haitham Mohamedain and Hamdy Qeshta after they spent more than five months in detention, according to lawyer Mokhtar Mounir.
Egypt court acquits police general of killing 25 Jan protesters in retrial A Qalioubiya criminal court acquitted on Wednesday Farouk Lashin, the former head of Qalioubiya state security, and two of his aides, of killing protesters during the 2011 uprising.
Egypt`s Lawyers Syndicate challenges VAT law in court The head of Egypt`s Lawyers Syndicate Sameh Ashour filed on Sunday a case challenging the newly ratified Value Added Tax law in Administrative Court, demanding its repeal.
Muslim Brotherhood leader killed in `exchange of fire` - MOI Ambiguity surrounded the death of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Kamal, after Egypt`s Interior Ministry announced his killing in an exchange of fire early Tuesday, a few hours after he was reported arrested.
Egyptian newspaper: Guardian article proves Regeni was a spy because he spoke foreign languages Egypt`s Al-Bawaba newspaper published an article alleging that an investigative piece by the Guardian into the death of Italian student Giulio Regeni proves he was a spy because he spoke several languages.
Egypt parliament approves contentious civil service law Egypt`s parliament approved on Tuesday the much debated civil services law in the first session of its second legislative term.
Economy
Analysts: The poor will bear the brunt of price shocks after pound floats While Egyptians wait for an imminent Central Bank decision to float the pound, leading to a surge in prices, many suggest the shock waves will hit the poor first.
Egypt ‘almost completed’ prior actions necessary for loan approval, says IMF head Egypt has “almost completed” prior actions necessary for the International Monetary Fund’s board to formally approve a twelve billion USD loan, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in a press conference Saturday.
IMF official sees first payout to Egypt at around $2.5 billion The International Monetary Fund`s initial loan payment to Egypt will be about 2.5 billion USD, a senior IMF official said on Friday, adding that he hoped to secure board approval for the program within the next month.
1st tourists return to Sharm el-Sheikh, as new airport security measures are implemented Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy toured Sharm al-Sheikh International Airport on the first day of operations of the private security firm Falcon, which has been contracted to implement new safety measures.
New housing project in Alexandria impresses residents, but estranges them too Heba Afify examines the impact and importance of the recently built Bashayer al-Kheir project, which is the new housing area that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated last week.
Foreign Relations
Chinese company signs US$20 bn agreement to build new administrative capital The Egyptian government has signed a twenty billion USD agreement with the Beijing-based China Fortune Land Development Company to construct the second and third phases of the new administrative capital, work on which is due to commence after June 2018, when the first phase of the mega-project is scheduled to be finished.
Egypt votes for rival UNSC resolutions on Syria from Russia and France Egypt voted in favor of two rival United Nations Security Council resolutions on Syria Saturday evening, one drafted by Russia and the other by France.
Egypt and Sudan sign cooperation agreements, highlight need for free trade Egypt`s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Sudan`s Omar al-Bashir signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" document along with other agreements on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace in Cairo.
Domestic Security
US, UK, Germany and Canada warn citizens in Egypt of security threats The German, British and Canadian embassies followed the US Embassy in Egypt by issuing a warning of security threats in Cairo on Friday until 9 October, urging their citizens to avoid large gatherings and public spaces.
Hasam movement claims responsibility for death of policeman in Beheira The group calling itself “Hasam Movement” claimed responsibility on Saturday for the death of a policeman in Behiera.
Arabic
الداخلية تكتب فصل النهاية لمهندس "العمليات النوعية" في الإخوان Security source declares the death of Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohamed Kamal.
الاقتصادي أيمن إسماعيل عن تخفيض الجنيه: استعدوا للأيام المؤلمة Economist Ayman Ismail reflects on the pros and cons of the state’s plan to devalue the Egyptian pound.
مؤسسة بحثية: خفض الجنيه المصري ضروري لنمو التدفقات الرأسمالي Capital Economics stated that the devaluation of the Egyptian pound will lead in the long-term to a period of economic recovery and stronger growth of financial flows.
43 عامًا على نصر أكتوبر.. صحفيون في مهمة حربية (ملف خاص) This article sheds light on a few journalists who reported stories from the Sixth of October War.
بعد 43 عاما على أكتوبر.. بدائل الحرب ما زالت تراوغ الجميع The article examines the evolution of Egypt-Israel relations over the past four decades.
المفكر سيف الدولة لـ«السفير»: «كتالوغ» أميركي فُرض على مصر Mohamed Ismat discusses in an interview the American influence on Egyptian political scene.