V. Recommendations regarding protection of freedom of expression
1) Egyptian authorities should immediately stop the enactment of Anti-IT Crimes Act, as it contains provisions that violate the right to privacy, freedom of information and freedom of expression.
2) Egyptian authorities should amend the media laws to ensure the independence of the press and media organizations and to abolish the articles that constrain the right of citizens to freedom of expression, most notably article 19 of the Press and Media Regulation and the Supreme Council for Media Regulation acts.
3) The Supreme Council for Media Regulation must verify the sources of financing the transactions carried out by the Egyptian Media Group, in accordance with its legally defined role, especially in light of the existence of reports linking this group with security bodies.
4) The Ministry of Culture must ensure that creators in the cultural palaces are free to innovate; it should intervene to prevent security and civil protection authorities from stopping artistic and literary activities in cultural palaces.
5) Egyptian authorities should immediately suspend the decision to form a higher committee for festivals or celebrations, which has severely affected the freedom of creators to establish cultural and artistic events.
VI. Conclusion
The report reviewed the patterns of violations in the third quarter of 2018 in order to identify developments in the practices of Egyptian authorities at the level of freedom of expression. The report also noted legislative developments, especially with the entry into force of the laws of information and combating IT crimes.
Through these periodic reports, AFTE seeks to stimulate and encourage various efforts in order to provide the necessary guarantees for Egyptian citizens to express their views freely. It calls upon all interested parties to continue to work on the Egyptian authorities’ commitment to international standards, which are constitutionally guaranteed to protect and promote freedom of expression.
In this regard, AFTE leaves its recommendations to be used by groups and stakeholders in their dialogue with Egyptian authorities.
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[1] Reuters, Egyptian deputy demands to accelerate the amendment of the Constitution to make the presidency 6 years, 12 August 2017, Last visit: 20 September 2018, https://bit.ly/2RqfJYY [2] Ibid [3] Nemeen Afifi, Osama Heikal: 4 years too short a term for the presidency.. I refuse extend presidential terms more than twice. Alwatan, August 2018, date of the last visit: 20 September 2018, https://bit.ly/2RsnbTM [4] Yasser Rizk, Talks of "reconciliation" in the presidency of the Sisi and beyond, Al Masry Al Youm, August 29, 2018, the last visit: 20 September 2018 https://bit.ly/2ClHwq8 [5] Rana Mamdouh, "Amendment of the Constitution".. Plan of continuation of El Sisi as president after the last mandate, Mada Masr, 3 June 2018, the date of last visit: 20 September 2018 https://bit.ly/2P8Ak2w [6] Mohamed Hamed, Conservative Party: We reject attempts to amend the presidential term in the Constitution, Al Watan, 5 June 2018, Last visit: 20 September 2018, Link:https://bit.ly/2IHjzt2 [7] France 24, Egyptian authorities arrest three prominent opponents of El Sisi, including a former ambassador, 23 August 2018, the date of the last visit: 20 September 2018, Link:https://bit.ly/2o8d0q0 [8] Mohammed Faraj, Masoum Marzouk and Yahya Al-Qazzaz imprisoned for 15 days in a new case. El Shorouk, 24 August 2018, Last visit: 20 September 2018, Link:https://bit.ly/2PfmVFX [9] AFTE: Maadi court of misdemeanor orders a fine and imprisonment of Amal Fathi in the “insult to public modesty” case, 29 December 2018, Date of Last Visit: 3 October 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2E34iEd [10] Mohammed Nagi, New Laws .. The Big State Stick for Internet Control, Foundation for Freedom of Thought and Expression, 4 September 2018, Last visit: 20 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2Piq1ZS [11] Al-Shorouk, Video .. Egyptians Media Acquires Future Company owning CBC channels on 10 September 2018. Date of Last Visit: 20 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2N0pHlo [12] Mada Masr, Details of the acquisition by the General Intelligence of "Egyptians media", 20 December 2017, Last visit: 20 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2zVAbKK [13] AFTE: Under suspicion.. who supervises ownership of media outlets in Egypt? The role of the Supreme Council of Media in monitoring the financing of media institutions ", 22 March 2018, Last visit: 20 September 2018. Link: https://bit.ly/2QwZ0Cc [14] Fayez Mohamed Al-Sabri, "Dream" enters into a new partnership.. and "Bahgat" announces the date of the return of Wael El-Ibrachi, Almasry Alyoum, 11 September 2018, https://bit.ly/2QvfHOn [15] The Supreme Council of Media Regulation website, the Supreme Council for Media regulation decides to stop the broadcast of LTC channel for two weeks and warns Alhadath channel, 3 September 2018, Last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2RsU02G [16] The Supreme Council of Media Regulation website, the Supreme Council for Media regulation stops “Negm El Gamaheer” program and warns LTC, 17 July 2018, date of last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2y74PQ9 [17] The Supreme Council of Media Regulation website, Supreme Council of Media Regulation stops broadcast of “Zamalek Stadium” and “Sah Elnoom” on El Hadath and LTC channels for two weeks. 1 September 2018, Last visit 27 September 2018: Link: https://bit.ly/2NxzQla [18] Ibid. [19] Mohamed Abdel Ghani, Discovery of a surprise under the Ark of Alexandria and material of a strange color and characteristics, Al Ahram Gate, 19 July 2018, Last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: http://gate.ahram.org.eg/News/1982347.aspx [20] Shaimaa Mubarak, Skirmishes at the emergency meeting of "scientists".. and the prevention of journalists from coverage, Alwatan portal, August 4, 2018, the last visit: 27 September 2018, link: https://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/3572108 [21] Ahmed Hamdi, Police prevents entry of journalists' cameras in the special performance of "Souq Al Jumah", Washwasha magazine website, August 27, 2018, Last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: http://www.washwasha.org/347885 [22] Phone interview with Naira Elgaber, Elfagr newspaper correspondent in Port Said, 25 September 2018. [23] Sources: Refusal to move to "On" behind the absence of Lamees from "Honna Elasema”.. Her replacement prevented her from "going on air", Mada Masr, 2 September 2018, Last visit: 27 September 2018, https://bit.ly/2owoxj1 [24] Al-Hayat Newspaper, Cairo seizes a newspaper and delegates its management to a governmental institution. 25 September 2018, Last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2xFtY46 [25] Ahmed Metwally, the imprisonment of a science teacher for 4 days on charges of insulting and slandering the Minister of Education, Alyoum Alsabe’e, 25 September 2018, the date of the last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: http://bit.do/exBvF [26] Mustafa al-Menshawi, Mitigation of sentence of the imprisonment of the Lebanese Mona Almthbouh in her insult of Egyptians, AlShorouk, on 9 September 2018, the last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: http://bit.do/exBv7 [27] AFTE, the date of the verdict on "Amal Fathi" in the case of insulting public modesty, on 23 September 2018, the date of the last visit: 27 September 2018, link: https://bit.ly/2RxYGEE [28] Raseef 22, Raseef 22 Forbidden for Egyptians ... How long will freedom of expression be suppressed? On September 7, 2018, Last visit: 27 September 2018, Link: http://bit.do/exBwJ [29] Mahmoud Othman, "Festivals Approved by the Authority... Legal Comment on the Decision regarding organization of Festivals or Celebrations", Foundation for Freedom of Thought and Expression, 30 July 2018, Last Date: 27 September 2018, Link: https://bit.ly/2Od5I2R [30] Sara Ramadan, "Commentary: How did the attack on freedom of creativity affect the Beni Suef Culture Palace?", Freedom of Thought and Expression Foundation, September 3, 2018, Last Date: 27 September 2018, https://bit.ly/2OQXw5j [31] Sawasiya Cultural Salon, the first film festival for short films and documentaries in Suez, on September 16, 2018. Date of last visit: 27 September 2018, link: https://bit.ly/2NMkZYQ
