Category Archives: Egypt

03Sep/21

Egypt, Middle East, , ,

The Egyptian TikTok Girls

Beehive: Middle East Social Media

In August issue of Beehive, Nir Boms analyses the Egypt’s recent restrictive policy on social media and its impact on young bloggers.

Campaign to release Mawada al-Adham, from facebook
Campaign to release Mawada al-Adham. From facebook, 3 August 2020.

Amidst a new wave of authoritarianism and repression in Egypt, the Internet remains one of the only platforms of alternative expression, although perhaps, not for long.

Aside from Covid-19, the water crisis of the Rival Nile Dam, and the ongoing economic challenge, Egyptian news also dealt with the visible arrest of two young “TikTok stars.” Haneen Hossam, aged 20, was sentenced in absentia by a Cairo court to ten years in prison while Mawada al-Adham, aged 23, who appeared before the court, was sentenced to six.[1]

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30Jul/13

Iran: Can Rouhani Deliver?

Egypt, Iran, Middle East, , ,

 

by Nir Boms and Shayan Arya
July 30, 2013 at 3:00 am

The Gatestone Institute

Rouhani’s campaign symbol was a giant golden key, which he waved at rallies to symbolize his ability to open locked doors. To an Iranian electorate all too familiar with locked doors in every aspect of their lives — both domestic and international — even the remote possibility of things getting better was irresistible. But now that Rouhani has been elected, he may find it difficult to deliver on his promise.

Last week, more than 250 Iranian steel workers gathered in front of the Supreme Leader’s residence in protest against unjustified layoffs and unpaid salaries. They were not the only ones. Reports from the past week revealed a dozen other such protests and strikes that range from a tire company, cable workers, the cinema association and even employees of Iran’s Ministry of Youth Affairs.

Protests and demonstrations are not that common in Iran; their last wave was met with harsh repression and violence. Now they have spread again and become more brazen. Signs again read “Down with the dictator,” while police used tear gas in an attempt to scare protesters away.

A combination of international sanctions and domestic mismanagement has resulted in rapidly rising unemployment and restive unemployed youth. The worsening economic conditions were also a key driver for the vote for change which took place in Tehran during the last Presidential election. But change is still a long way off. Continue reading →

20Sep/11

Política egipcia

Egypt, Spanish

Saad Eddin Ibrahim, el principal activista demócrata de Egipto, tiene colgadas dos fotografías en su modesta oficina del Centro Ibn Jaldoun de Estudios de Desarrollo en El Cairo. Una le muestra con el vicepresidente Dick Cheney en la Casa Blanca; la otra es un retrato del líder de Hezbolá, el jeque Hassán Nasrala. Esta yuxtaposición recoge reveladoramente parte del estado mental de la oposición pro-democracia de Egipto: insegura y sin ningún sitio concreto al que recurrir.

Tres fuerzas modelan a la opinión pública de este país, de más de 70 millones de individuos: el Partido Democrático Nacional en el poder, encabezado por Hosni Mubarak; los islamistas, que han incrementado su porcentaje de escaños parlamentarios desde el 2% en 1984 hasta casi el 20% hoy; y los demócratas, desbordados con creces tanto por los autócratas como por los teócratas.

La primera de estas fuerzas es también la más poderosa y la más terca. En su discurso del pasado noviembre en la sesión de apertura del parlamento de Egipto, Mubarak, que lleva siendo presidente desde 1981, manifestó permanecer en la presidencia mientras su corazón continúe latiendo. También ha tomado medidas para garantizar la sucesión a su hijo, Jamal, una maniobra que probablemente será presentada como encaminada a garantizar “la estabilidad” de Egipto. Mubarak encarcela de manera rutinaria a los que le desafían, hombres como Aymán Nour, candidato predilecto en las elecciones presidenciales del 2005 (con el 7% de los votos), Talaat el-Sadat, un miembro del parlamento y sobrino de Anwar Sadat que había criticado al ejército egipcio, e Ibrahim, encarcelado en el 2000 junto con miembros de su personal y absuelto tres años después.

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