Egypt Increases Monitoring of Internet Users

[sharon sanders]

EOHR, accusing the government of violating the privacy rights of Internet users

كتب وائل علي ١٠/٨/٢٠٠٨

Wael wrote on 10/8/2008 <table style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: left; direction: ltr;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" valign="top">

اتهمت منظمة حقوقية الحكومة بفرض إجراءات جديدة تنتهك حقوق وخصوصيات مستخدمي الإنترنت في مصر، من خلال إلزامها رواد المقاهي السياحية ?الكوفي شوب? بملء استمارات تتضمن معلومات شخصية عنهم، قبل السماح لهم باستخدام الإنترنت.

EOHR accused the government impose new procedures violate the rights and the specifics of Internet users in Egypt, forcing it through the tourist cafes goers ?kufic Schopp? filling forms containing personal information about them, before they are allowed to use the Internet.

وقالت الشبكة العربية لمعلومات حقوق الإنسان إن هذا الإجراء يمعن في انتهاك الخصوصية ويفرض الرقابة علي مستخدمي الإنترنت، ويطبقه بعض المقاهي منذ فترة.

The Arab Network for Human Rights Information that this procedure carefully in violation of privacy and censorship imposed on users of Internet cafes and applied some time ago.

وأوضح البيان أن رواد المقاهي باتوا مجبرين علي ملء بطاقة يسلمها لهم المقهي مدون بها رقم سري، علي أن يدون فيها إجبارياً اسمه ورقم تليفونه المحمول وبريده الإلكتروني، إضافة إلي بيانات اختيارية مثل مدينته وتاريخ ميلاده، وبعد تأكيد هذه المعلومات تصل إلي المستخدم رسالة علي تليفونه لتأكيد البيانات يمكن له دخول الشبكة.

The statement said that the astronauts cafes are becoming forced to fill the card delivered to them by the cafe blogger No. secret, to be recorded therein compulsorily name and mobile telephone number and e-mail, in addition to the optional data such as city and date of birth, and after confirmation of this information reaches the user on your letter of confirmation Data can enter the network.

واعتبر البيان هذا الإجراء صفقة بين شركتي ?موبينيل? و?لينك? من جانب، والأجهزة الأمنية من جانب آخر، يستفيد منها الطرفان، ويخسر فيها مستخدم الإنترنت الكثير من حقوقه من حماية معلوماته وخصوصياته.

The statement this procedure deal between the two ?MobiNil? and ?Link? by, and the security services on the other, benefiting both parties, and the Internet user loses much of its rights to protect its information and privacy.

وقال جمال عيد، المدير التنفيذي للشبكة العربية لمعلومات حقوق الإنسان، إن هذا الإجراء مثير للغضب والسخرية، ويجعل الكل مراقباً، سواء من يدخل الإنترنت عبر مقاهي الفقراء أو عبر المقاهي السياحية الفاخرة، ومعهم السائحون أيضاً.

He said Gamal Eid, Executive Director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, that this action causes anger and cynicism, and make the All observers, both from entering Internet cafes across the poor or through posh cafes tourism, with tourists as well.

ووصف القرار بأنه شديد التعسف، ويكشف السياسات الأمنية التي تعمد إلي تقييد مستخدمي الإنترنت ورقابتهم بمساعدة شركات الاتصالات، ودعا كل المهتمين بحرية التعبير وحماية الخصوصية إلي التصدي لهذه السياسات بكل السبل القانونية وفضحها.

He described the decision as severe abuse, and exposes security policies that deliberately to restrict Internet users and control the help communications companies, and invited all interested in freedom of expression and privacy protection to address these policies with all legal means and expose.

http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/Default.aspx?r=t

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[Giuseppe]

Re: Egypt Increases Monitoring of Internet Users

Rights watchdog slams govt censorship, internet users’ privacy violation

Published by Hossam el-Hamalawy - August 10th, 2008 in Activism, Bloggers, Egypt مصر, Human Rights حقوق إنسان, Police شرطة

I received the following statement from the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information…

The Egyptian government imposed a new measurement which increases the extent of the censorship on Internet users, and violates their right to privacy.

The new measurement obliges the tourist coffee shops, to keep the information of their visitors who uses the internet, including their names, email and phone numbers before they use the Internet.

This privacy-abusive and censoring procedure become a wide spread reality.

The Egyptian famous blogger “Wael Abbas”, the owner of “ Alwa’i Al Masri” (Egyptian Awareness’s blog), wrote criticizing onset of applying this procedures two months ago, and warned of its expansion, which actually happened.

The coffee shops visitors who wish to use the internet now must have a slip from the coffee shop with a pin number, he should enter it in an electronic form, as well as his name, and mobile phone number as well as his email all these information are required, in addition to other optional information such as the city and date of birth.

According to this information which should be correct, the user receives a text message on his mobile phone to verify the information, only then one can access the internet.

This measurement seems as a weird business deal between the two companies (Mobinil Mobile Service Co. and Link Telecommunication Company) owned by the Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris [he own also the italian company WIND/Infostrada, a telephone/telecommute company - ioh] as first part and the security apparatus as the second part, both may benefit of such transaction, in which several rights of internet user are subject to violation such as secure internet browsing and protection of internet and privacy.

“It is an ironic and irritating issue, now all are equal, the poor internet users who should provide their names, id numbers and the number of the computers they use in public net cafes, and the rich who use their own PCs and laptops in luxurious coffee shops, as well as the tourists. All are censored.” said Gamal Eid, the executive director of ANHRI.

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http://arabist.net/arabawy/2008/08/10/****_mubarak_censorship/

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[sharon sanders]

Re: Egypt Increases Monitoring of Internet Users

"...All are censored."

The internet is power in the hands of the people. A "new age" printing press.

We want to take back our own destinies.

With information from all sources, we have a chance to forge a better path.

Collectively we have the chance to be that star lighting the darkness of ignorance.

"Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light."--Joseph Pulitzer


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