Internet Censorship
The effects of [the] ICT [information and communication technologies] revolution should not be limited exclusively to achieving economic and developmental gains. It should be extended to strengthening political, social and cultural links among nations to bringing about world peace based on justice, equality, and respect of international legitimacy to supporting national efforts towards more freedom, democracy, and respect of human rights.—President Hosny Mubarak
At the 2003 World Summit of the Information Society in Geneva, President Mubarak expressed his eagerness and excitement for expanding the Internet so as to increase communications between Egypt and the rest of the world. President Mubarak and the Egyptian government, however, have taken actions that seem to contradict the above sentiment for freedom and human rights. President Mubarak hinted at the existence of a higher priority than human rights when he remarked that “[all] this should be achieved within a framework that respects national identity.” Two years later at the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Tarek Kamel echoed the need for “a framework that honors national identity and preserves religious and cultural diversity.”
In keeping with their goal of maintaining the national identity, the Egyptian government has sought out individuals or groups that pose ideas not in line with those of the government. Perhaps the largest opposition group to the Egyptian government is the Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood advocates Islamic reform in Egypt; as a result, their political party has been declared illegal. It comes as no surprise that the website of the Muslim Brotherhood is blocked in Egypt.
The government has also taken action against individuals who expose corruption within the government. This has made the plight of bloggers harder, in that they face intimidation, violence, and arrest. Such is the story of young activist and blogger Muhammad al-Sharqawi. After being arrested for participating in a public demonstration in 2006, al-Sharqawi was brutally beaten and raped by police officers. Denied appropriate medical care, al-Sharqawi spent 3 weeks in prison before being released. Though al-Sharqawi can identify one of the police officers and has since had his laptop stolen, the Interior Ministry denies al-Sharqawi was tortured and has yet to take action to prosecute the police officers responsible. Another Egyptian blogger, Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman, was sentenced in February 2007 to four years in prison “on charges of insulting Islam, defaming the president, and spreading information disruptive of the public order.” As blogging is increasing in popularity, the threat of intimidation and harassment by the government is being used to censor bloggers who mention police brutality, encourage public demonstrations, or criticize the president or government.