[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
Sisi to ratify Tiran and Sanafir agreement within days: Source President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will move to ratify the Tiran and Sanafir islands agreement in a matter of days, according to an official source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Sisi ratifies Tiran and Sanafir agreement, cedes islands to Saudi Arabia President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ratified the maritime border demarcation agreement that cedes sovereignty over Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, according to a Cabinet statement.
UN and international organizations condemn death sentences against 6 people in Egypt The United Nations Commission for Human Rights said Egyptian authorities must halt death sentences against six defendants accused of killing a policeman in the northern city of Mansoura in 2014.
Military court upholds death sentences against 7 accused of 2015 Kafr al-Sheikh bombing Death penalties were upheld against seven defendants implicated in the Kafr al-Sheikh Stadium case on Monday, after the Supreme Military Court rejected their appeal against a 2016 sentence. The military court also sentenced a number of defendants in the case to life in prison.
Report: More than a thousand civilians currently held in notorious military prison camp More than a thousand civilians are being held in the Galaa military camp, home to a notorious prison complex, and suffer from tough prison conditions, a recent report released by the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms said.
Update: Prosecution orders the release of leftist activist Kamal Khalil on LE2,000 bail The Prosecution ordered the release of leftist activist Kamal Khalil on an 2,000 LE bail on Friday. Khalil was arrested from his home on Thursday and interrogated without his defense team present, according to his lawyer Mahmoud Belal.
Rights activist Abdel Hafiz Tayel released on LE20K bail after questioning in ongoing NGO case Investigations judge Hesham Abdel Meguid ordered the release of rights activist Abdel Hafiz Tayel on 20,000 LE bail Tuesday, after questioning him in relation to an ongoing case against non-governmental organizations and human rights workers.
Court reduces sentence of police officer who killed Shaimaa al-Sabbagh from 15 to 10 years in prison South Cairo Criminal Court ordered the arrest of Central Security Forces officer Yassin Hatem Salah on Monday for killing protester Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, sentencing him to ten years in prison.
Egypt`s Sisi pardons 502 prisoners before Eid Egypt`s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi issued an official pardon for 502 prisoners in a number of cases including some in protest-related jail-sentences, the Egyptian presidency announced on Friday.
Egypt`s Al-Azhar to submit draft law criminalising hate speech The Grand Imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb announced on Wednesday that Al-Azhar – the world`s oldest Sunni institute of Islamic learning – will submit a draft law to parliament criminalizing hate speech, particularly against any religious beliefs.
Reforming religious discourse still essential to defeating terrorism: Sisi Egypt`s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi reiterated in a speech on Wednesday his position that reforming religious discourse is a key element in defeating terrorism.
Egypt`s education ministry says cheaters will face tougher penalties, possible jail terms Egypt`s education ministry has announced new amendments to a law toughening penalties for cheating and other violations during nationwide school exams, following repeated incidents of online leaking of exam answers over the past year.
Egyptian government bypasses ISPs to block access to websites: Telecommunications Ministry source The block in access to 101 websites in Egypt carried out since 24 May has been undertaken as a centralized decision by the Egyptian government rather than by the country’s internet service providers, according to a high ranking source in the Communication and Information Technology Ministry.
Economy
Egypt to implement measures to lift economic burdens off average citizens: Sisi Egypt is set to undertake several measures to “lift burdens off the average Egyptian citizen,” President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi announced Tuesday evening.
Foreign Relations
10 US senators urge Trump to pressure Sisi to annul Egypt’s new NGO law Ten US senators have urged US President Donald Trump to pressure President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to annul Egypt’s recently-approved NGO law and to end a crackdown on civil society groups.
Egypt`s Sisi discusses fighting terrorism with crown prince of Abu Dhabi in Cairo Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan discussed counter-terrorism efforts and bilateral ties during talks in Cairo on Monday, al-Sisi`s office said in a statement.
Egypt FM Shoukry discusses Libya updates and Qatari crisis with Britain FM Johnson Egypt`s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry discussed the latest developments in Libya and Syria with British counterpart Boris Johnson in a telephone call on Friday, the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs announced.
Domestic Security
Egypt`s cabinet approves extending state of emergency for another three months The Egyptian cabinet approved in a meeting on Thursday the extension of a nationwide state of emergency for another three months.
Egypt police kill 7 terrorists `involved in recent attacks on Christians`: Ministry Egypt`s Ministry of Interior said Thursday that police have killed seven terrorists involved in recent attacks on churches and Christians during raids on training camps in Giza and Upper Egypt.
Egypt`s police repel major militant attack in North Sinai, fending off gunfire, car bomb Egyptian police in the city of Arish, capital of North Sinai, fought off a major terrorist attack on a security checkpoint on Monday, the interior ministry said.
Hasm militant group claims responsibility for Maadi police checkpoint attack The militant group Hasm has claimed responsibility for an attack on a police checkpoint in Maadi, North Cairo, late on Saturday in which a policeman was killed and four others injured.
Three suspected Hasm militants killed in shootout with police in Alexandria: Interior ministry Egypt’s Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday that police killed three militants suspected of being members of the militant group Hasm after they shot at security forces who were trying to apprehend them in Alexandria.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
Lost and Found: The Yasser Alwan Photography Collection at Akkasah In this two-part essay we present a selection of captivating photographs from roughly the first half of the 20th century in Egypt, collected by Yasser Alwan and held by the photography center Akkasah at NYUAD. The essays by Akkasah director Shamoon Zamir and Alwan provide valuable context and insights into how to understand this particular collection. This selection, with Zamir’s essay, highlights the collection`s poignant snapshot photographs.
Traces, Fragments, Scraps: Collecting Cairo’s Discarded Images In this two-part essay we present a selection of captivating photographs from roughly the first half of the 20th century in Egypt, collected by Yasser Alwan and held by the photography center Akkasah at NYUAD. The essays by Akkasah director Shamoon Zamir and Alwan provide valuable context and insights into how to understand this particular collection. This selection, with Alwan`s essay showcases a range of studio portraits.
Full Circles: Hamas Goes to Cairo During the past week, a Hamas delegation paid an official visit to Egypt, which these days is news in and of itself. During its time in Cairo, the delegation also met with former Fatah warlord Muhammad Dahlan, which is even bigger news.
Arabic
خطاب إلى الرئيس: نحن لا نقتل الأسرى Ezzedine Choukri Fishere writes a letter calling on President Sisi to halt death penalty against Egyptians.
بمناسبة اليوم الدولي لمساندة ضحايا التعذيب: لا لاحتجاز المدنيين في أماكن عسكرية The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms issued a report on torture of civilians detained at Al-Jalaa military camp in Ismailiya.
مازالت جريمة الإختفاء القسري تهدر الحقوق الدستورية للمتهمين 107 حالة اختفاء قسري موثقة في الربع الأول من سنة 2017 “Stop Enforced Disappearance” campaign published its quarterly report for 2017, documenting 107 victims of enforced disappearance during the period from January to March 2017.
تأجيل إعادة محاكمة «مرسي» وقيادات الإخوان في «اقتحام السجون» إلى أول يوليو Cairo Criminal Court adjourned the retrial of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and members of Muslim Brotherhood over storming prisons in 2011 to 1 July.
محاولات دبلوماسية لإقناع دول الحوض بوثيقة تضمن حقوق مصر المائية Egyptian informed sources revealed that diplomatic efforts failed to build support among Nile basin countries for an initiative to address Cairo’s concerns regarding water security issues.
نواب: الموازنة العامة خلت من حلول لعلاج البطالة والفقر A number of MPs expressed their opposition to the state’s general budget for 2017/2018 stressing that it is devoid of effective governmental solutions to address unemployment and poverty rates.
النواب» يوافق على مشروع «الهيئة الوطنية للانتخابات» وينهي الإشراف القضائي في 2024« The House of Representatives approved in principle the draft law of the National Electoral Commission after amending Article 34, which sets the duration of judicial supervision for only ten years.
مجلس الوزراء يوافق على مد حالة الطوارئ لمدة 3 أشهر The Council of Ministers approved on Thursday a presidential decree extending the state of emergency throughout the country for three months.
مفاجأة.. حكم الإدارية العليا يرد على الدستورية العليا: 9 ملاحظات حول اللجوء للدستورية في حكم مصرية تيران وصنافير The Supreme Administrative Court explains the validity of the constitutional court’s decision on Tiran and Sanafir demarcation case.
الدستورية" توقف أحكام مجلس الدولة والقضاء المستعجل عن "تيران وصنافير" وقتيًا" The Supreme Constitutional Court issued a temporary injunction to suspend the implementation of the maritime demarcation agreement approved by state council.
مجلس الوزراء يوافق على إجراء تعديلات في قانون تنظيم الأنشطة النووية The Council of Ministers approved Thursday a draft law amending the provisions of Articles 85 and 88 of the Law on the Regulation of Nuclear and Radiological Activities issued by Law No. 7 of 2010, with the aim to determine liability when any harmful act or omission occurs.
مبارك وسد النهضة.. هل أعاق الرئيس الأسبق الكابوس الإثيوبي؟ Mubarak`s latest comments on Ethiopia`s ban on building the dam under his rule have spurred reactions by a number of experts, stressing that the current growing crisis came as a result of the former regime’s misconduct of the case.
"جبهة الدفاع عن متظاهري مصر: القبض على 1572 بعد توقيع "تيران وصنافير The Front for the Defense of Detainees affirmed that 1572 people were detained across Egypt since the ratification of the maritime demarcation agreement during the period from 8 April 2016 to 19 June 2017.
من عكاشة إلى طنطاوي.. عصا «لجنة القيم» تطارد معارضي عبد العال MPs who oppose parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al face constant threats of expulsion.
القبض على كمال خليل.. ومداهمة منزل السفير معصوم مرزوق The number of arrested Egyptians following the parliament’s approval of the maritime demarcation agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia reached 121 activists including the leftist leader Kamal Khalil who was arrested by security forces on Thursday, according to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms.
قمة أوغندا: مصر تقترح 5 سنوات لملء «سد النهضة».. ومصادر بالخارجية: 7 سنوات الأمل الوحيد في تقليل الضرر Filling the reservoir of Al-Nahda Dam within five years is the real battle that Cairo and Ethiopia will have to deal with decisively, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry source said.
مصدر بـ«الاتصالات»: الحكومة تتجاوز مقدمي خدمة الإنترنت وتحجب المواقع بشكل مركزي A senior source at the Ministry of Communications has revealed that the blocking of Egyptian news sites during the past month was likely operated by the Egyptian government through Ramses Central, the main Internet access point in Egypt, which is under the control of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
)الدين الخارجي المصري.. رسالة اعتذار إلى حفيدي العزيز (يقرأها بعد خمسين عامًا The government’s new administrative capital project is doomed to fail for its irrelevance and lack of financial resources.
نهاية دولة يوليو The report reflects on the legacy of post-1952 state and its implications in the post-Mubarak Egypt.
الكبت، المدارس المنفصلة، المنازل الضيقة… لماذا يتصاعد العنف الجنسي في مصر؟ Violent sexual crimes have increased at alarmingly rates in Egypt amid absence of decisive measures to address this phenomenon.
ملخص الدعم القانوني للصحفيين خلال الأسبوع الثالث من يونيه Journalists Against Torture Observatory published a report summarizing trial sessions of journalists during the period from 17 to 22 June 2017.
النكسة كـ بداية | ثلاثة مشاهد من كفاح السويس Journalists Against Torture Observatory published a report summarizing trial sessions of journalists during the period from 17 to 22 June 2017.
بعد قرار “العفو الرئاسي” عن هشام طلعت مصطفى.. حقوقيون: أمر مثير وهناك آلاف الطلبات المُقدمة بالعفو الصحي مُهملة في الأدراج دون معرفة سبب الرفض Following the latest presidential pardon decree, human rights activists point out to the continued imprisonment of youth who await urgent compassionate release.