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| Egypt court bans YouTube over Innocence of Muslims trailer | Egypt court bans YouTube over Innocence of Muslims trailer |
| (8 days later) | |
| YouTube has been temporarily banned in Egypt for carrrying an anti-Islamic documentary that triggered deadly riots across north Africa and the Middle East in September. | YouTube has been temporarily banned in Egypt for carrrying an anti-Islamic documentary that triggered deadly riots across north Africa and the Middle East in September. |
| In what human rights activists have called a backwards step for internet freedom, Judge Hassouna Tawfiq ordered the government to block access to the video-sharing website for 30 days after the trailer for Innocence of Muslims sparked outrage. | In what human rights activists have called a backwards step for internet freedom, Judge Hassouna Tawfiq ordered the government to block access to the video-sharing website for 30 days after the trailer for Innocence of Muslims sparked outrage. |
| The ban had not been enacted by Sunday afternoon, and a Google spokesperson said the company, which owns YouTube, had not yet been served with any order. But five years after a request for a similar ban was thrown out by an Egyptian court, this week's putative YouTube ban has been seen as a regressive step. | The ban had not been enacted by Sunday afternoon, and a Google spokesperson said the company, which owns YouTube, had not yet been served with any order. But five years after a request for a similar ban was thrown out by an Egyptian court, this week's putative YouTube ban has been seen as a regressive step. |
| In 2007 an Egyptian judge tried to block 49 human rights websites, but his efforts were vetoed by an administrative court. "It is certainly a backwards step compared to what the court ruled [in 2007]," said Amr Gharbeia, civil liberties director at the Egyptian Institute for Personal Rights. | In 2007 an Egyptian judge tried to block 49 human rights websites, but his efforts were vetoed by an administrative court. "It is certainly a backwards step compared to what the court ruled [in 2007]," said Amr Gharbeia, civil liberties director at the Egyptian Institute for Personal Rights. |
| Gharbeia, whose website was one of those threatened in 2007, said the case showed a failure to grasp the central tenets of the internet. "People will find ways around the ban," he added. "The courts are not aware of how the internet works. They are using the same measures that they would use against newspapers and broadcasters." | Gharbeia, whose website was one of those threatened in 2007, said the case showed a failure to grasp the central tenets of the internet. "People will find ways around the ban," he added. "The courts are not aware of how the internet works. They are using the same measures that they would use against newspapers and broadcasters." |
| He pointed out that such legislation could make Egyptians "lose respect for the rule of law". | He pointed out that such legislation could make Egyptians "lose respect for the rule of law". |
| The case is one of several recent moves against free expression in Egypt. A report last month said more journalists had been sued for insulting the president during the seven-month presidency of Mohamed Morsi than in the entire 30-year rule of ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak. | The case is one of several recent moves against free expression in Egypt. A report last month said more journalists had been sued for insulting the president during the seven-month presidency of Mohamed Morsi than in the entire 30-year rule of ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak. |
| But Gharbeia said the YouTube suspension was more likely to be the result of an over-zealous judge than part of a wider crackdown on free speech. "It's very possible that the judge is acting on his own will and conviction and really wants to protect the people of Egypt from something [he considers] evil," he said. | But Gharbeia said the YouTube suspension was more likely to be the result of an over-zealous judge than part of a wider crackdown on free speech. "It's very possible that the judge is acting on his own will and conviction and really wants to protect the people of Egypt from something [he considers] evil," he said. |
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