[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
Wife of jailed journalist Hesham Gaafar received phone calls from 2 men seeking LE120,000 for his release The wife of detained journalist Hesham Gaafar said she received phone calls from two individuals claiming to be a police officer and a prison official demanding a large sum of money in exchange for her husband’s release from prison.
Lawsuit filed to strip activist Aya Hegazy of Egyptian nationality Lawyer Tareq Mahmoud has filed a lawsuit at the Administrative Court demanding that activist Aya Hegazy, who holds a US citizenship, be stripped of her Egyptian nationality. Mahmoud said Hegazy does not deserve to hold Egyptian citizenship for legal reasons and evidence that threatens Egypt`s national security.
One-year prison sentence upheld against 11 Zamalek Club fans, 6 released after already serving time A Cairo court of cassation upheld a one-year prison sentence against eleven Zamalek Football Club fans, the Ultras White Knights, on Saturday for the attempted murder of club head Mortada Mansour in 2014.
Egypt administrative court to rule 6 June on legal jurisdiction dispute in Tiran and Sanafir case An Egyptian administrative court has set a date of 6 June to rule on a legal jurisdiction dispute in relation to a controversial Egyptian-Saudi Arabian maritime border demarcation agreement.
Dostour Party member arrested in Alexandria for insulting president online Police arrested Dostour Party member Nael Hassan from his home in Alexandria early on Thursday morning. His lawyer Mahienour al-Massry told Mada Masr that he stands accused of charges including insulting the president of the republic.
Egypt`s Al-Azhar rejects `defamatory` accusations that it fosters extremism Al-Azhar`s Council of Senior Scholars defended its teachings on Tuesday amid rising criticism in Egypt that its curriculums foster extremism and sectarianism.
Dozens arrested for sexual harassment on Sham al-Nessim Dozens of men were arrested nationwide on Sham al-Nessim on Monday, accused of sexual harassment. The arrests were reported following the deployment of police forces, notably female officers, in Egypt’s public gardens, parks and streets. Several government hotlines for reporting incidents were also available over the holiday.
The Double Game of Egyptian Surrealism: How to Curate a Revolutionary Movement Jonathan Guyer and Surti Singh consider the legacy of Egypt`s little-known Surrealists, a group of radical artists and writers who corresponded with Breton, published in international Trotskyite publications, and provoked their French and British counterparts.
Economy
Sisi to discuss food price hikes, sustainable development at 3rd youth conference on 25 April Egypt`s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is set to participate in the monthly dialogue youth conference in Ismailiya on 25-27 April, which coincides with Sinai Liberation Day.
Foreign Relations
Newly released Egyptian-American charity worker visits Trump An Egyptian-American charity worker freed after nearly three years of detention in Egypt is meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
Freed Egyptian American prisoner returns home following Trump intervention An Egyptian American charity worker who was imprisoned in Cairo for three years and became the global face of Egypt’s brutal crackdown on civil society returned home to the United States late Thursday after the Trump administration quietly negotiated her release.
INTERVIEW: Upgrading Egyptian-US relations requires shared vision, says political scientist Ibrahim Awad Later this week, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis is expected to arrive in Cairo as part of a wider regional tour. Mattis will meet with top Egyptian officials, including President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi.
US Defense Secretary Mattis arrives in Cairo for talks with top Egyptian officials U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis travelled on Thursday from Saudi Arabia to Cairo, where he is set to meet with Egyptian officials to continue boosting bilateral relations and discuss US support for Egypt`s counter-terrorism efforts after the election of President Donald Trump.
Egypt parliament speaker discusses counterterrorism with Trump advisor Nick Ayres, a political strategist and advisor to US President Donald Trump, paid a surprise visit to Egypt`s parliament on Wednesday, where he discussed bilateral relations with parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal.
Egyptian, US navies launch Eagle Salute 2017 exercise in Red Sea The Egyptian and United States navies have commenced their latest joint exercise, "Eagle Salute 2017", in the regional waters of the Red Sea, the Egyptian military said in a statement on Sunday.
Cairo to host tripartite meeting with Ethiopia, Sudan on Renaissance Dam impact studies Cairo is set to host a tripartite meeting between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam next week to discuss initial reports by consultancy firms tasked with assessing the possible impact of the dam on downstream countries, according to the spokesman of the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Sisi, Salman stress importance of maintaining `brotherly relations` in face of regional challenges Egypt`s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi King Salman stressed during talks in Riyadh on Sunday the need to preserve the security and stability of Arab states and to combat attempts to drive a wedge between Arab allies.
Egypt receives 2nd German military submarine Egypt received the second of four German military submarines on Wednesday, amid fanfare from the Armed Forces. Arriving in Alexandria, the U-209 submarine is part of the country’s recent military spending which has seen the purchase of helicopter carriers, warships, submarines and other military vehicles worth billions of US dollars.
Domestic Security
Egypt`s PM Sherif Ismail extends state of emergency in designated areas of North Sinai Egypt`s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail ordered on Wednesday the extension of the state of emergency in designated areas of North Sinai until the end of the three-month nationwide state of emergency imposed last week.
Armed Forces kills 21 militants, including senior member of IS, in North Sinai The Egyptian Armed Forces killed nineteen militants and destroyed four vehicles in an airstrike in North Sinai, according to a statement issued on Thursday. Those killed include a leader of Sinai-based militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdes, which was renamed Province of Sinai after declaring loyalty to the Islamic State in 2014.
`Terrorist` killed, police officer injured in Egypt`s Damietta raid: Security sources A "wanted terrorist" was killed in a shootout on Tuesday morning during a police raid in the northern coastal governorate of Damietta.
A suspect in plotting Tanta church suicide bombing turns himself in to Egyptian authorities A man suspected of involvement in the planning of the suicide bombing of St George Cathedral in Tanta on 9 April which killed twenty-nine people has turned himself in to a prosecutor’s office in Upper Egypt`s Qena governorate.
One policeman killed, 4 injured in attack on Egypt`s St Catherine security checkpoint A policeman was killed and four others were injured at Mount Catherine`s security checkpoint late Tuesday in South Sinai after an exchange of fire with unknown militants, Egypt’s ministry of interior said.
Update: Alleged perpetrator of IS attack on checkpoint near St. Catherine Monastery killed by security forces The Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a security checkpoint near St. Catherine Monastery in South Sinai that occurred late Tuesday night.
IS group claims responsibility for attack on checkpoint near Egypt`s St Catherine`s Monastery The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for an attack on Egypt`s St Catherine`s security checkpoint late Tuesday that killed at least one policeman and injured four others.
Egypt police kill man suspected of involvement in deadly attack on St Catherine checkpoint in Sinai: Sources A man suspected of involvement in a deadly attack on Tuesday night on a security checkpoint near South Sinai’s St Catherine Monastery has been killed on Wednesday by Egyptian security forces.
One policeman killed, civilian injured in IED blast in Egypt`s North Sinai One Egyptian policeman was killed and a civilian injured in an IED blast that hit an armored vehicle in Egypt`s North Sinai city of al-Arish.
Arabic
آمال تعافي قطاع السياحة تتراجع بعد هجوم سانت كاترين Egypt’s tourism sector has been hit again following the attack on a check point in southern Sinai near St. Catherine Monastery on Tuesday.
مأساة 2010، مهزلة 2017: مأزق السلطوية والسياسات الاجتماعية في مصر The article discusses the underlying causes of the ongoing economic crises compared to 2010 crises under the policies of then-Minister of Finance Youssef Botros Ghali.
البرلمان يدرس خفض مدة الحبس الاحتياطى إلى 6 شهور Parliament’s human rights committee is preparing a new draft legislation to reduce the pre-trial detention custody time to six months.
ميثاق شرف إعلامي بين مصر والسودان لتهدئة التوتر In an attempt to ease the tension between Egypt and Sudan over the disputed area of Halayeb and several other issues, Foreign Ministers of both countries Sameh Choukri and Ibrahim Ghandour reached a consensus to refrain from provocative comments.
مصر تفرض حظر التجوال في مناطق بشمال سيناء PM Sherif Ismail announced curfew limited to some areas in Northern Sinai during specified hours until 10 July, according to an official announcement following St. Catherine checkpoint attack.
)قضية "التمويل الأجنبي" 2011.. وما زال التحقيق جاريًا (تسلسل زمني The report compiles the most important measures and developments regarding foreign funding case No. 173 of 2011.
تيران وصنافير».. القضاء الإداري تحجز طعن عدم الاعتداد بأحكام «الأمور المستعجلة» للحكم في 6 يونيو« Egypt’s Administrative Court adjourned the appeal filed against Tiran and Sanafir maritime demarcation agreement to 6 June.
بعد تقرير مجلس الدولة بعدم الدستورية الأحزاب تطالب البرلمان بإعادة مناقشة قانون السلطة القضائية Parties are calling on parliament to re-discuss the judicial bodies’ law which was met with heavy criticism for violating the independence of the judiciary.
منظمة حقوقية: 32 وفاة داخل السجون المصرية في الربع الأول من 2017 The Britain-based Arab Organization for Human Rights reported fifty cases of detainee deaths during the first quarter of 2017.
الجوع المائي يهدد المصريين.. وخبراء: لا بديل عن هذه الحلول Shortages of water supply together with increased population growth will put Egyptians at risk, amid Ethiopia’s continued construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam.
عمال القطاع الخاص: هذه مطالبنا من قانون العمل الجديد The article lists the demands of Egypt’s private sector workers to ensure job security, as Egypt’s parliament discusses new labor law.
#تسريب_سيناء.. الجيش المصري يقتل أبرياء؟ A leaked video posted by a pro Muslim Brotherhood channel on Facebook showing Egyptian military personnel killing unarmed civilians in Sinai went viral on social media, sparking anger among activists who called on authorities to open urgent investigations.
المصير المجهول لنحو ألف لاجىء مصري: برلين ترفضهم والقاهرة لا تعترف بهم While rejected by Germany and unrecognized by Egyptian authorities, the fate of thousand Egyptian migrants remains unknown.