Egypt participated in the Saudi-led campaign against Shia Houthis militias in Yemen with its naval and air forces, an Egyptian military source said on Thursday. Warplanes from Saudi Arabia and Arab allies struck the Shia Muslim rebels fighting to oust Yemen’s president on Thursday. 

POLITICS

Cabinet approves cybercrime draft law
Egypt’s cabinet approved on Wednesday a draft law combating cyber-related crimes. The amended law now provides a broader definition of cybercrime and includes types of cyber-related activities that were not previously criminalized by the law. Shorouk reported on Thursday that the law also institutes harsh punishments for anyone involved in these crimes, but does not detail what these punishments are. It adds, however, that the law allows authorities to confiscate equipment, shut down places where the crimes were committed, and delete websites that are harmful to national security. [SIS, Shorouk (Arabic), 3/25/2015]

Also of Interest

  • Transitional Justice Minister: Amending electoral laws dependent on Prime Minister’s meeting with political parties | EGYNews (Arabic)

COURTS

Egyptian reformist judge referred to disciplinary committee
Prominent reformist judge and former head of Egypt’s Judges’ Club, Zakaria Abdel Aziz, was referred Wednesday to a disciplinary committee for participating in the storming of the State Security Investigations headquarters in Nasr City in March 2011. The judge was filmed at the headquarters urging protesters to hand over all documents they found in the building to the Egyptian Armed Forces later securing the building. Several members of the Legal Committee to Defend the Judiciary, a judges group, accused Abdel Aziz of “storming the building during the January 25 revolution events.”  For his part, Abdel Aziz said in media statements that the decision to refer him to a disciplinary committee was expected as part of a campaign of political vengeance against him due to his being a member the judicial independence movement during Mubarak’s rule. [Ahram Online, MENA, 3/25/2015]

Also of Interest

  • Retrial of Mubarak-era tourism minister set to begin on June 2 |EGYNews (Arabic)
  • Policeman referred to trial for embezzling confiscated weapons | Egypt Independent

ECONOMY

Egypt’s stock market hit hard amid strikes on Yemen
Egypt’s stock market fell sharply in early trade on Thursday, after airstrikes conducted by Saudi Arabia and Arab allies against Houthi rebels in Yemen, yet slightly recovered at closing time. The benchmark index EGX 30 fell by 2.43 percent in the morning, while the price index EGX 70 fell by 2.34 percent. The bourse’s administration halted trade for thirty minutes before resuming. The benchmark index meanwhile closed at 1.59 percent to 9052.5 points, whereas the price index closed at 1.34 percent to 503.07 points, reported MENA. Egypt’s bourse reached a two-month low on Wednesday, falling 1.8 percent to 9198 points. [Aswat Masriya, 3/26/2015]

Also of Interest

  • Egyptian pound unchanged on official, parallel markets | Reuters
  • Suez Cement donates EGP 30 million to Tahya Misr | DNE
  • Finance Minister: Subsidies cause poverty  | Egypt Independent
  • 3 percent of GDP in 2016/2017 budget to go to health, 6 percent to education says Dimian | DNE
  • Thailand’s PTT keen to sell stake in Egypt gas pipeline business | Reuters
  • Egyptian pound unchanged on official, parallel markets | Reuters
  • Abdel Nour: Arab economic ministers’ draft resolutions on track of establishing customs union | SIS
  • Welcome to Startup Egypt | WSJ
  • Egypt business environment retains investment hurdles, says World Bank economist | DNE
  • Minister: Butane gas cylinders to be distributed on ration cards in Port Said | Egypt Independent
  • Egypt’s electricity company says power cuts due to fuel shortage | Aswat Masriya
  • Petroleum Ministry agrees to pay foreign firms more for gas produced in Egypt | Mada Masr

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Baseera poll shows 56 percent of Egyptians satisfied with cabinet performance
A survey conducted by the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research (Baseera) showed that 56 percent of Egyptians approved of the current cabinet’s performance in February 2015, up by 3 percent compared to March 2014 where only 53 percent were satisfied with the cabinet. Only 34 percent of Egyptians approved of the performance of former Prime Minister Hazem Beblawy in July 2013, compared to 18 percent in March 2014, according to Baseera estimates. [Egypt Independent, 3/26/2015]

Also of Interest

  • Teacher who cut student’s hair should face maximum penalties: ECWR | DNE
  • Birell ad draws criticism for ‘encouraging’ sexual harassment | Egypt Independent
  • Brotherhood Assets Committee confiscates assets of those convicted with detonating electricity pylons | EGYNews (Arabic)

SECURITY

Video showing Daqahliyah policemen sexually harassing detainees aired on talk show
During Wael al-Ibrashy’s Wednesday evening program on satellite channel, Dream 2, a video was broadcast, in which a group of policemen can be seen sexually harassing, insulting, and beating female detainees. Ibrashy said he had verified the identity of the policemen in the video, adding that a security source had confirmed that the incident was being investigated. The security personnel in the video belong to Daqahliya Security Directorate, and had arrested defendants accused of theft. [Egypt Independent, 3/26/2015]

Also of Interest

INTERNATIONAL

Egypt providing military support for Gulf Arab operation in Yemen
Egypt participated in the Saudi-led campaign against Shia Houthis militias in Yemen with its naval and air forces, an Egyptian military source said on Thursday. Warplanes from Saudi Arabia and Arab allies struck the Shia Muslim rebels fighting to oust Yemen’s president on Thursday. Four Egyptian naval vessels also sailed on Thursday through the Suez Canal en route to Yemen to support the operation, a military source said. Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs had issued a statement late Wednesday announcing that Egypt is in full political and military support of the war in Yemen. The statement added that Egypt is also discussing with its Gulf allies the use of Egyptian military forces on the ground “if it is necessary.” The coalition led by Saudi Arabia includes Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Pakistan. As of late Wednesday night, air traffic between Egypt and Yemen had also been halted. [Ahram Online, DNE, Reuters, SIS, Mada Masr, Egypt Independent, AP, 3/26/2015]

Arabs to consider joint military force at Egypt summit
Arab foreign ministers held a consultative meeting on Thursday ahead of their preparatory session for the upcoming Arab League summit. At the meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry urged Arab League member states to create a joint Arab military force to face regional security challenges. Shoukry expressed his hope the Arab League would take positive steps to implement Egypt’s previous proposal to form a joint Arab force. Arab leaders meeting at the summit this week face rapidly deteriorating conflicts in Yemen and Libya, but have yet to agree on a concrete plan to counter a growing threat from Islamist militant groups and regional chaos. [Ahram Online, AFP, Reuters, 3/26/2015]

Also of Interest

  • Washington welcomes Egypt, Ethiopia Nile agreement | Egypt Independent
  • US newspaper: Intended resumption of military aid to Egypt is a test of principles |Egypt Independent
  • A new era of cooperation: Sisi to Ethiopian parliament | Ahram Online
  • Joint Communiqué on Occasion of President Sisi’s Visit to Ethiopia | SIS
  • Egypt hasn’t acknowledged Ethiopian dam through principles: Official | Ahram Online
  • Sisi warns Ethiopians of internal division, terrorism | DNE
  • Sisi meets with head of Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Council | SIS