[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
Cartoonist Islam Gawish released from custody; lawyer decries 'unconstitutional' arrest Cartoonist Islam Gawish was released from custody on Monday after the National Security Agency dismissed charges of misusing communication networks.
Amnesty: Authorities release minor allegedly raped, tortured by police Egyptian authorities released Mazen Mohamed Abdallah, a minor who was allegedly raped and tortured while in police custody, on Wednesday.
Search continues for Italian student missing since Jan 25 The Italian Foreign Ministry has asked its Egyptian counterpart to provide any information about Giulio Regeni, an Italian student who has been missing in Cairo since 25 January.
Body of Italian student found in Egypt repatriated to Rome after memorial service The body of a twenty-eight year-old Italian student who had disappeared in Cairo last week and was found dead was repatriated on Saturday to Italy.
Update: Conflicting reports on death of Italian student Giulio Regeni Egyptian officials released conflicting reports as to the cause of Italian PhD candidate Giulio Regeni's death on Thursday, after he went missing in Cairo on the fifth anniversary of the 25 January revolution.
Italian Interior Minister: Student Giulio Regeni was subjected to 'animal-like' violence Italian PhD candidate, Giulio Regeni, who was found dead in Egypt last week, suffered “inhumane” and “animal-like” violence, according to Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano.
A turn for the worse at Aqrab Prison, say outraged families of inmates For inmates at Aqrab Prison, there was a small window of time when life got a little better — but that window has already slammed shut, according to their families.
Human rights lawyer Gamal Eid banned from travel Prominent human rights lawyer Gamal Eid found out he was banned from travel on Thursday when he was preparing to board a flight at the Cairo International Airport.
I won't be silent about injustice to enter my country, says Egyptian-German researcher Botros Egyptian-born German researcher Atef Botros said Tuesday he "will not be silenced about the injustices" after authorities denied him entry to Egypt, stressing that he is entitled to enter the country he was “born and raised in” regardless of his stance.
Using foreign funding law against journalist Hesham Gaafar sets dangerous precedent: lawyer Egyptian legislation restricting foreign funding could be further used to detain journalists and researchers, rights organizations and lawyers warn.
Egypt’s High Administrative court says has no jurisdiction over Protest Law Egypt’s High Administrative Court declined to hear an appeal on Monday against the controversial protest law, citing “lack of jurisdiction.”
Court extends pre-trial detention of teen who wore anti-torture t-shirt A Giza Criminal Court extended the detention of Mahmoud Mohamed, widely known as the “T-shirt Boy,” for a further forty-five days, despite him having served two years in prison without charge.
Court bans former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly from travel, freezes assets Cairo Criminal Court banned former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and twelve other former Interior Ministry officials from travel and froze their assets on Sunday.
Egypt military court sentences 8 to death for targeting army personnel Egypt’s military court handed eight defendants preliminary death sentences on Sunday after they were found guilty of planning attacks on Egyptian officials, including military and police personnel.
Court overturns 149 death sentences in Kerdasa case The Court of Cassation accepted an appeal on death sentences issued for 149 people charged with the premeditated murder of eleven officers and two civilians in Kerdasa in 2013.
Preacher Islam Beheiry's 1-year sentence upheld for insulting Islam Cairo misdemeanor court upheld a one-year sentence handed to preacher and researcher Islam al-Beheiry for allegedly insulting Islam.
Doctors Syndicate leaders summoned by prosecution over Matareya Hospital incident Doctors Syndicate head Hussein Khairy and board member Mona Mina were both summoned by the prosecution on Saturday in relation to an incident at Matareya Hospital, in which two doctors were reportedly assaulted by police officers.
Banha Hospital strikes, Matareya Hospital resumes services after intimidation of doctors Matareya Hospital resumed services on Friday after being closed for a week in response to police intimidation, while doctors at Banha Hospital have been on a partial strike since Saturday over the assault of three doctors.
3 people arrested for selling pieces of the pyramids Three people were arrested for allegedly selling pieces of the Giza Pyramids to the public, the Interior Ministry said in an official statement on Saturday.
Thousands protest in Port Said against Sisi’s peace offering to Ahly Ultras Parliamentarians and members of the Masry Ultras football-fan group led thousands on a protest in Port Said on Friday, denouncing recent attempts by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to build bridges with the rival Ahly Ultras group on the fourth anniversary of the Port Said stadium massacre.
Sisi: Expensive water, insufficient housing, a difficult future ahead President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated a series of development projects via video conference in several governorates on Saturday, and took the opportunity to address Egyptians on a number of issues, including public services, the judiciary, youth and a challenging future.
Egypt's Sisi says open to criticism, admits deficiency in dealing with youth Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday that he does not mind criticism, stressing that it is his job to placate disgruntled youths, a day after a cartoonist was arrested for what critics suggest was retaliation for caricatures mocking the former army chief.
Bassem Youssef to return to airwaves from the US After his runaway hit show “Al-Bernameg” was forced off air in the summer of 2014, political satirist Bassem Youssef is planning a return to the airwaves.
3 films refused permission to screen in Zawya's first short film fest Egypt's Censorship Board has refused to authorize the screening of three Egyptian short films as part of art-house cinema Zawya’s first Short Film Festival, scheduled to start on Thursday at downtown Cairo’s Cinema Karim.
Egypt's parliament to endorse last month's rejection of civil service law In its new round of sessions scheduled for Sunday, Egypt's parliament will endorse the minutes of last month's vote to reject the controversial law.
MPs vote against postponing panel on govt corruption The House of Representatives has voted with a fifty-four percent majority against a proposal to postpone the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate financial corruption within the government recorded by a controversial report by the Central Auditing Organization.
Leader of Free Egyptians Party resigns, jeopardises parliamentary seat Leading member of the Free Egyptians Party and MP Emad Gad resigned from the party on Monday despite the risk of losing his parliamentary seat as a result.
MP Mostafa Bakry resigns from Support Egypt coalition Controversial parliamentarian and media personality Mostafa Bakry resigned from the state-affiliated Support Egypt coalition on Tuesday after disagreements with the coalition’s administration.
Female genital mutilation to end by 2030: Health Ministry Health Minister Ahmed Emad Eddine said that Egypt will celebrate the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, which conforms to the 2015-2030 national population strategy and the national strategy against female genital mutilation
Economy
Egypt to launch commodities exchange hub by year-end Egypt will launch the Middle East’s first commodities exchange by the end of 2016, Supply and Internal Trade Minister Khaled Hanafy said in a press release Monday, in the hopes of making Egypt an international grain-trading hub.
Taxi drivers protest against Uber, other app-based car services Dozens of taxi drivers protested in Giza on Thursday against their leading competitor, the Uber driving service, continuing a long chain of protests worldwide against the global app staged in major cities from Paris to Berlin, Madrid, London, Toronto and Istanbul.
Exclusive: Mada Masr obtains Sisi’s presidential decree for World Bank loan A deal with the World Bank for a 1 billion USD loan could fall through if the Egyptian government does not adopt a value-added tax.
Sisi allocates EGP 1 billion from Long Live Egypt Fund to build cheap housing Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered on Saturday that 1 billion EGP from the Long Live Egypt Fund be assigned to build 100,000 affordable housing units.
Foreign Relations
Egypt's FM in 3-day visit to US for international, regional talks Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry traveled early Sunday to Washington for three days for regional and international talks with top US officials.
Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia to begin fresh talks on Renaissance Dam in Khartoum Fresh talks between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia will begin on Sunday in Khartoum to discuss the technical offer from French firms BRL and Artelia on impact studies of Ethiopia's controversial Grand Renaissance Dam.
Egypt’s parliamentary speaker hosts talks with EU delegation A European parliament delegation headed by the chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Elmar Brok arrived in Cairo Saturday for talks with Egypt's parliamentary speaker Ali Abdel-Al.
Congolese prime minister tours Egypt's Suez Canal The prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Matata Ponyo Mapon, visited Egypt's New Suez Canal on Friday, during an official visit to the country.
Egypt President Sisi speaks with Italian prime minister Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Italian Prime Minister, "Matteo Renzi" spoke by phone Thursday afternoon.
Russia says it plans to supply Egypt with 40 commercial jets Russia is currently in talks with Egypt to supply the country's state-owned EgyptAir with forty commercial jets as part of a deal with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft.
Egypt, Russia to negotiate on helicopters for Mistral warships Egyptian trade minister Tareq Qabil said that Russia and Egypt are planning to negotiate over the delivery of helicopters to equip the Mistral aircraft carriers Egypt bought from France.
Russia, Egypt to Sign Memorandum on Supply of Four SSJ100 Planes Moscow and Cairo signed a memorandum on Tuesday for the delivery of four SSJ100 passenger planes to Egypt.
Egypt’s FM in Italy for int’l coalition against ISIS summit Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sameh Shoukry was in Italy to take part in the Summit of the International Coalition against ISIS on Tuesday.
Czech FM on 3-day Egypt visit to boost economic, cultural relations Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek is on a three-day visit to Egypt, heading a delegation of twenty-three business representatives with the aim of boosting economic and cultural relations with Egypt.
Domestic Security
Police kill 2 alleged members of Ajnad Misr in Maadi apartment raid Security forces killed two people identified as terrorists in the southeast Cairo district of Hadayek al-Maadi on Wednesday.
Egypt’s army says 10 'terrorists' killed in fresh North Sinai raids Egypt’s army killed ten "terrorists" and injured thirteen others in fresh raids on militant hideouts in the troubled North Sinai.
Four alleged militants killed in Giza hideout - interior ministry Four alleged militants were killed on Sunday during an exchange of fire with Egyptian police in a hideout in Giza, the interior ministry said.
Islamic State affiliate announces beheading of 2 men for cooperating with security The Islamic State’s Egypt affiliate, Province of Sinai, announced the beheading of two people in North Sinai for alleged cooperation with security forces.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
Empty Tahrir Jonathan Rashad examines the conflicting commemorative claims to 25 January within Egyptian society.