Episode 04
Online Spaces & Overcoming Government Censorship
This week we are speaking with 2 SOAS students from Egypt about Online Spaces & Overcoming Government Censorship. Hossam Fazulla is a researcher and writer from Cairo. He has spent the last 7 years bridging the gap between art and human rights as Director of Freedom of Artistic Creation at the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) and as a former trainer at Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. Fazulla’s work focuses on cultural policies and the contemporary Egyptian cultural scene. Fazulla has authored several publications including Why You Can’t be Creative in Egypt (2017), Cultural Policies: Foundation, Evolution and Problems (2015), and co-authored Censor of Creativity (2013).
Salma Khamis is a researcher and writer from Cairo, whose interests lie somewhere in between journalism and academia. She conducted research on Muslim-Christian relations and religious diversity in Egypt and formerly worked at one of the country's leading independent news outlets Mada Masr. These days, Salma’s research interests are more focused on literary studies of contemporary Egyptian cultural products. She examines representations of Egyptian identity constructions across various art forms, with a marked emphasis on revolutionary culture.
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Resources:
Visit the Mada Masr website: https://madamasr.com/en
Facebook: @mada.masr
Twitter: @MadaMasr
Instagram: @madamasr
Youtube: Mada Masr
Visit the website of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE): https://afteegypt.org/en
Facebook: @afteegypt.org
Twitter: @afteegypt
Youtube: afteegypt
On the tumultuous legislative process towards drafting and passing Egypt's new media law: Egypt’s new media laws: Rearranging legislative building blocks to maximize control.
On complications in attempting to comply with the new media laws: Confusion, contradictions and uncertainty: Implementation of new media law leaves news websites in the dark
For a guide to how Egypt's new cybercrime law affects various stakeholders: How you will be affected by the new cybercrime law: A guide
For some background on the current status of Mada's lawsuit against the government for blocking access to its website: Neither victory nor defeat: Court refers Mada Masr blocking case for technical review
And watch a short video about Mada employees describing what its like to work for a blocked website: Blocked for 300 days
On how the telecom companies in Egypt deal with the personal data and information of their customers: Privacy Policies of Communication Companies in Egypt
On the blocking of YouTube sites and content: By Court Ruling…A Reading in the YouTube Block Ruling and New laws
On the NGOs call for full repeal of Egypt’s “cybercrime” law and block of dangerous law regulating media: Statement opposing Egypt’s legalization of website blocking and communications surveillance
On the interruption of communications during the events of the 25 January revolution: Isolation.. The cutting of communication during the January 2011 revolution
In Arabic, with English summary: Fazalla.H (2017): Why You Can't Be Creative in Egypt
In Arabic, with English summary: Fazalla.H (2016): Security Forces and Creativity in Past 10 Years
In Arabic, with English summary: Fazalla.H (2015): Cultural Policies in Egypt: Foundation, Evolution, Problems
In English: Fazalla.H, Ezzat.M, Alhaq.S (2013): Censors of Creativity: A study of freedom of artistic expression in Egypt
'Sisi's balls' are no laughing matter for Egypt's police: https://www.middleeasteye.net/in-depth/features/sisi-s-balls-1898422372
A Pair Of Mickey Mouse Ears Helped Earn This Man Three Years In Jail: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/faridyfarid/a-pair-of-mickey-mouse-ears-helped-earn-this-man-three-years