2015-06-01



[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.]

Regional and International Relations

China, Egypt Agree to Nuclear Cooperation
World Nuclear News reports, “A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the construction of power reactors has been signed between China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and the Egyptian Nuclear Power Plant Authority (NPPA).”

IAF Chief Unfazed Egypt May Get Russia's S-300
Israel’s air force chief unconcerned by Egypt’s efforts to secure advanced Russian air defense system.

Launching Egyptian-Russian-Emirates Fund Will Take at Least Six Months: ERBC Chairman
Shaimaa Elise and Ahmed El Adl interview Chairman of Egyptian-Russian Business Council (ERBC), Mikhail Orlov following Egyptian-Russian business forum held on 28 and 29 May 2015.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia Deny Split over Syria

Saudi and Egypt foreign ministers met in Cairo to discuss the two countries’ interests in the region.

Egypt Seeks Allies among Libya’s Tribal Leaders at a Conference in Cairo|
Hundreds of Libyan tribes attend a four-day conference held in Cairo.

Security

Egypt's NCHR Says 2600 Killed since Morsi's Ouster
Ahram Online reports, “Egypt's National Council for Human Rights released a report spanning from June 2013 to December 2014 on victims of violence, detainee conditions, and the protest law.”

Militants Blow up Natural Gas Pipeline in Egypt
Militants blew up natural gas pipeline outside al-Arish.

Human Rights and Legal Institutions

‘Port Said Massacre’ Verdict Postponed, Media Gag Enforced
Adham Youssef writes, “Verdict postponed to 9 June, police forces deployed in Port Said streets.”

Egypt Names Hard-Core Soccer Fans as Terror Group

Emily Crane writes, “In an arguably unconstitutional ruling, an Egyptian court has banned the Ultras soccer fan clubs as terrorist organizations.”

Rare Acquittal Renews Protest Law Debate
Khaled Dawoud comments on the acquittal of members of the Popular Socialist Alliance Party for “illegal” protesting.

Egyptian Activist Mahinour al-Masry Sentenced to Fifteen Months in Prison
Ahram Online reports, “Mahinour El-Masry and nine other were appealing a sentence in Raml police station case.”

Security Officer Acquitted of Torturing, Murdering Salafi Activist in 2011

Former officer Abdel Rahman al-Sheemy was acquitted on Thursday of charges of torture during interrogation of a salafi activist who was suspected of involvement in the deadly Two Saint Church bombing on New Year’s Eve in 2010.

Minor Clashes in Helwan as Demonstrators Protest Morsi Death Sentence
Protesters gathered in front of Istiqama mosque in Helwan district in Cairo after Friday prayers and chanted against the security forces and police.

Alaa Abd El Fattah Interrogated for Insulting the Judiciary'
Mada Masr reports.

US Prisoner Freed by Egypt Returns Home
Egyptian-American Mohamed Sultan released from prison after he gave up his Egyptian citizenship.

Egypt Court Sentences TV Presenter al-Beheiry to Five Years on Charges of Blasphemy
al-Sayyed Gamal al-Din writes, “In early April, Al-Azhar filed a complaint against the presenter's controversial show on Islam.”

Persecution of Egypt's Shiites Continues
Marwa al-A’sar writes, “Egypt’s Shiites are being discriminated against through a number of means that are causing the religious minority to be further marginalized.”

Politics and Culture

El-Kousha Puppet Troupe Strikes Again, This Time in Egypt's Working Class Districts

Walt Curnow writes, “The El-Kousha troupe recently launched a new type of puppet show, currently touring around working class districts of Cairo and other governorates.”

Buyer Beware, Part Two: The Way Forward

Fatenn Mostafa Kanafani writes on the modern artists’ calls to authenticate artwork in Egypt. Click here to read part one.

Reports and Opinions

From Egypt to Turkey: Regression and Progression of LGBT Rights
Paul Iddon compares and analyzes LGBT rights in Egypt and Turkey.

The New Old Wafd
Nervana Mahmoud comments on the crisis al-Wafd Party is facing.

Let our Girls Join our Army: Egypt's Aspiring Military Women

Passant Rabie writes, “Campaign for female army conscripts battles military politics, gender inequality.”

Canadian Journalist on Trial in Egypt Tries to Separate Himself from Employer
Former Al Jazeera journalist, Mohamed Fahmy, sues the Qatari-owned news channel.

Special Report: Egypt Deploys Scholars to Teach Moderate Islam, But Skepticism Abounds
Mahmoud Murad and Yara Bayoumy reflects on the ramifications of al-Sisi’s calls for “a religious revolution” on al-Azhar, and the impact of the state’s crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood under a similar discourse, i.e. to “modernize” Islamic thought in Egypt.

Egypt Starts Demolishing Mubarak-Era Ruling Party Headquarters

Egypt demolishes Mubarak’s National Democratic Party’s (NDP) headquarters in downtown Cairo.

Arabic

في شرح ابتعادنا عن الإنسانية المعاصرة
Amr Hamzawy reflects on the international media’s coverage of the Middle East.

التطورات الاقتصادية العالمية والاقتصاد المصري
Omar al-Shaniti links the economic developments in Europe, the United States, and China to the economies of developing countries, especially Egypt.

قائمة من ذوي الإعاقة تعتزم خوض الإنتخابات البرلمانيّة
Ahmed Fouad writes, “In accordance with the 2014 constitution, the disabled in Egypt are granted representation in parliament, which the Egyptian movement to empower people with disabilities is seeking to achieve through its We love Egypt list.” This article is published in English.

للشعوب رب يحميها
Fahmy Huwaidy comments on the joint Arab military force.

تفكيك الإخوان.. الكرة في ملعب السيسي
Mohamed Sa’ad Abdelhafeez writes on the ramifications of the state’s crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood.

ثورة التصحيح الدينيّ في مصر... لم تنجح أحداً
Rami Galal writes, “Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's call for religious tolerance has been interpreted differently by Salafists, Al-Azhar scholars and secular critics.” This article is published in English.

وزير الآثار المصريّ لـ"المونيتور": هناك مؤامرة هدفها إخراج الفراعنة من قائمة التراث العالميّ

Walaa Hussain writes, “Mamdouh al-Damaty talks to Al-Monitor about the recent controversy surrounding King Tut's broken beard and reports of a pornographic film being shot in the Giza Pyramid.” This article is published in English.

هل يجب هدم "الحزب الوطني"؟
Mahmoud Mohamed Riyadh writes a brief history of the building of the dissolved National Democratic Party that was demolished on Sunday.

محامون يعتصمون في الإسكندرية تضامنا مع "ماهينور المصري"
Lawyers announce a sit-in in solidarity with imprisoned activist Maheinour al-Masri. This article is published in English.

Recently on Jadaliyya Egypt

Letter of Support by Colleagues and Personal Friends of Emad ShahinJadaliyya Reports Page releases a letter signed by over twenty scholars and researchers in solidarity with Professor Emad Shahin who was sentenced to death in absentia by an Egyptian court.  

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