Facebook, among other sites, will come under new scrutiny in Egypt, when a draft “anti-terrorism” law comes into effect.
The draft law, submitted by the Interior Ministry to the Justice Ministry, which in turn would go to the Cabinet for ratification, states that internet sites which instigate terrorism could be censored. This includes popular sites such as Facebook, which have increasingly become a channel among Egyptians to voice dissent.
According to Al Sherooq [ar] Arabic daily:
تضمن مشروع قانون «مكافحة الإرهاب» المرسل من وزارة الداخلية للعدل، قبل إرساله إلى مجلس الوزراء، لإقراره، ولأول مرة موادَّ جديدة لضمان فرض السيطرة على الجرائم «الإرهابية» بشكل أكثر شمولًا من مواد قانون العقوبات، بداية من فرض الرقابة اللازمة على مواقع فيسبوك والإنترنت؛ لمنع استخدامها في الأغراض «الإرهابية» المنصوص عليها
The anti-terrorism law, sent by the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice, before sending it to the Cabinet, for approval, for the first time includes new laws which guarantee control over “terrorism” crimes in a comprehensive manner, starting with the monitoring of Facebook and the Internet, in order of them not to be used for terrorism purposes
Egyptian blogger Ramy Yaacoub notes:
First implementation of article 31 of #Egypt's new constitution seen in Anti-terror law bill, proposes monitoring Facebook, blocking sites.
— Ramy Yaacoub (@RamyYaacoub) January 31, 2014
And adds:
This is becoming ridiculous. There needs to be an international treaty that governs the sanctity of private communication.
— Ramy Yaacoub (@RamyYaacoub) January 31, 2014
Novelist Ezzedine Choukri Fishere says that the new bill will impact more than just terrorism:
الف مبروك يامصر: الإضرار بالبيئة أصبح عمل ارهابي (عوضنا على الله في 3/4 الشعب) — نص مشروع قانون «مكافحة الإرهاب» http://t.co/5yZ6jHsHHA
— C. Fishere شكري فشير (@EzzedineCF) January 30, 2014
Congratulations Egypt! Protecting the environment has now become an act of terrorism
And Mai El-Sadany concludes:
2. New anti-terrorism draft law will incorporate internet and social media monitoring [aka, spying]. #Egypt
— Mai El-Sadany (@maitelsadany) January 29, 2014
5 comments
I am checking this law now in Arabic, and neither article 21, nor article 15 mention Facebook specifically. AlShourouk newspaper is not accurate.