The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
March 20, 2019

Egypt Cracks Down on Online Dissent
-----------------------------------

In Egypt, the top media regulator is imposing new restrictions on
certain websites and social media pages that are designated as "threats
to national security." The rule would apply to social media accounts
that have over 5,000 followers, and allow the government to block access
to the sites for posting so-called fake news, and fine them up to
$15,000 without a court order. Journalists and press freedom advocates
have condemned the move, which they say is just the latest effort by the
government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to silence critics.
Reporters Without Borders has called Egypt "one of the world's biggest
prisons for journalists."


.