Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Luxor has both Christian and Moslem communities and the politics of the Middle East are equally diverse. Air your views on the situation.

Moderators: DJKeefy, 4u Network

Post Reply
User avatar
DJKeefy
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 11025
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 652 times
Been thanked: 1222 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by DJKeefy »

While Egyptian officials argue that a new bill requiring restaurant and shop owners to install cameras will hinder terrorism and boost security, critics counter that the true targets are opponents of the government.

Egypt’s parliamentary committee on local administration met May 15 in the presence of representatives of the Ministries of Local Development, Justice, Tourism and Health and approved a draft law on shops and restaurants, commonly referred to as the draft law on commercial shops. The bill merges and amends three existing laws on shops and restaurants and includes a special provision forcing the owners of cafes and shops to install indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras to obtain a license for their enterprises.

The bill is expected to be passed into law in June.

Parliament member Ahmad al-Sigini, who heads the local administration committee, said that some time ago, the parliament discussed a bill forcing the owners of shops and cafes to install surveillance cameras. “In the meantime, the Ministry of Interior proposed adding an article to the draft law on commercial shops imposing the installation of surveillance cameras.”

Sigini told Al-Monitor in a telephone interview that Article 27 of the bill requires shops and restaurants to install indoor and outdoor cameras in order to obtain a license. Any facility not fitted with cameras will not see its license renewed.

He said that this article outlined general rules imposing the electronic camera surveillance system in line with international security systems, pending the issuance of separate legislation on cameras. “The new legislation on this issue will be more detailed and determine the number of required cameras according to the size of the shop. It will also cover other matters related to the surveillance process,” said Sigini.

Article 29 of the bill defines the cases in which shops will be closed and their licenses revoked. It states that shops shall be closed in case of violation of several articles, notably Article 27, requiring the installation of electronic surveillance cameras.

Parliament member Anisa Hassouna was the first to propose a draft law forcing cafes and public shops to mount surveillance cameras on March 29, 2017. In a press statement on July 18, 2017, Hassouna argued that her proposal was necessary in light of the numerous recent terrorist attacks hitting Egypt.

On Nov. 20, 2017, a parliamentary committee approved a draft law submitted by the government on the installation and use of surveillance cameras and recording devices. This bill, which has yet to be passed into law, consists of 11 articles determining where cameras and recording devices are permitted or prohibited, as well as the penalties in case of violation of its provisions.

The government’s bill amended some of the articles contained in Hassouna's proposal, extending penalties from three to seven years in prison and inflating fines from 500 Egyptian pounds ($28) to 5,000 ($280).

On Feb. 22, 2017, Cairo Gov. Atef Abdel Hamid instructed the governorate's shops, hospitals, churches, mosques, police departments and all state institutions to install surveillance cameras in the name of general security.

Mohamed Sayed, a member of the opposition Dostour Party, told Al-Monitor that obliging public shops to install surveillance cameras is contrary to the Egyptian Constitution. Article 57 states, “Private life is inviolable, safeguarded and may not be infringed upon.” It asserts that means of communication are confidential and may only be examined or monitored by a justified judicial order. “Such a law would violate personal privacy of citizens and their fundamental rights,” he said.

Sayed said it’s unimaginable to “sit in a public cafe and find a camera watching over you,” adding, “All shops, even small stalls opposite the Egyptian High Court of Justice have been forced to use surveillance cameras.”

Sayed believes that the forcing all shops across the country to mount surveillance cameras will result in a surveillance state. “Egyptians would be monitored and watched 24 hours a day in public places,” he said. He suspects that the main purpose of this draft law is tracking state opponents and politicians rather than deterring theft and other crime.

Egypt’s political activists are known to meet in cafes and restaurants in central Cairo, especially since the January 25 Revolution.

Judge Refaat al-Sayyed, the former head of the Criminal Court of Cairo, justified the need for the law, including Article 27. “These mainly aim to anticipate terrorism or criminal acts by surveilling vital public places that have been a favorite target of jihadist and radical movements in recent times,” he told Al-Monitor.

He explained that obliging all cafes and private enterprises to use surveillance cameras does not conflict with the principle of privacy. “The new draft law stipulates that cameras may not be installed in places intended for housing, public baths, treatment rooms or fitting rooms, and other places that naturally should not be surveilled.”

Responding to the questions raised by many observers, Sayyed asserted that the state will not bear any implementation costs. “The draft law requires owners of public shops, cafes and commercial enterprises to cover the expenses related to surveillance cameras,” he said, noting that installing these devices is a necessary safety procedure.

He pointed out that the government sought to submit the draft law on commercial shops in light of the several terrorist operations that targeted different areas in Cairo and the governorate, mainly vital areas in central Cairo. The Isaaf intersection on July 26 Street in Central Cairo, for example, has been the site of several bombings. On June 29, 2015, Egypt’s Public Prosecutor Hisham Barakat was assassinated by members of the Ansar al-Quds organization in the Misr al-Jadida quarter in Cairo.

Source: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/origin ... shops.html


Image
User avatar
DJKeefy
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 11025
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 652 times
Been thanked: 1222 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by DJKeefy »

NEXT... It will be law for every home to have a camera in each room, they are obsessed in wanting to know everyone's business or thinking everyone is up to no good :roll: maybe they are :ni:
Image
newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by newcastle »

Donald Trump - "I'm gonna build a wall between USA and Mexico....and Mexico's gonna pay for it!"


President Sisi - "I'm gonna install security cameras everywhere so I can watch the people....and the people are gonna pay for it! "
newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by newcastle »

DJKeefy wrote:NEXT... It will be law for every home to have a camera in each room, they are obsessed in wanting to know everyone's business or thinking everyone is up to no good :roll: maybe they are :ni:
Fat lot of use the security cameras were in the Regeni case.

The tapes seem to have conveniently disappeared/been erased/are "unhelpful"....depending which report you read.

But if they have them in police stations and cells, I'm all for it :ct
User avatar
Major Thom
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2885
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:45 am
Has thanked: 187 times
Been thanked: 375 times
Gender:
Contact:
Cyprus

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by Major Thom »

Next will be market stalls. Incidentally do the traffic camera's installed 3 years ago still work and are they being used to improve road standards. I wonder how many have been prosecuted by the use of these road camera's?
User avatar
DJKeefy
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 11025
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 652 times
Been thanked: 1222 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by DJKeefy »

Major Thom wrote:Next will be market stalls.
They are first in the queue after they have fitted the mobile stalls with GPS [emoji38]



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
Image
User avatar
Who2
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 7911
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: Laandaan
Has thanked: 1113 times
Been thanked: 3214 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by Who2 »

There's an estimated half a million cameras operating in London alone, chill out.
If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear.... 8)
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
User avatar
DJKeefy
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 11025
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: UK
Has thanked: 652 times
Been thanked: 1222 times
Gender:
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by DJKeefy »

Who2 wrote:There's an estimated half a million cameras operating in London.
Yeah but this topic is about Egypt, not the UK :) since you like comparing Countries I will oblige and compare too :) The UK are not threatened to have their licence revoked if they dont install cameras.

True what you say that if you nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about, well that might be true in the UK, but EGYPT!!! get real!!!

A Country that can lock up Presidents, high up Generals, people who eat bananas, tell people not to drink from the Nile... you get the drift, you could be locked up for probably sneezing and deliberately infecting others, no one is safe from any made up accusations.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
Image
User avatar
Major Thom
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2885
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:45 am
Has thanked: 187 times
Been thanked: 375 times
Gender:
Contact:
Cyprus

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by Major Thom »

We know quite a few people who run business's in Luxor that have already been made to put up camera's to get license renewals, the cost is certainly not cheap. I suppose business's next will be forced to have electronic tills and issue receipts and that will cost even more. I know that the tightening up of hostels, hotels and rental properties have tightened up and now where many are getting away with it, the fines and imprisonment sentences for those not registering visitors with security have really gone through the roof. The things we used for security was for security and security only, but the tightening up is more and more looking like "Big Brother" tactics. Although some may disagree, not everyone wants their lives recorded everyday. The main crimes that are regarded being off statute are committed away from these areas anyway. (I am talking about crimes against women), Its not like they will put up camera's in banana plantations and alike, unless of course they are after people working with no permits. I have to agree with the Dr though when he states if you are doing no wrong, you have nothing to worry about... I suppose in the future thieves will be looking out for electric cuts before they go to work, security systems with UPS back up is expensive... :lol:
User avatar
Dusak
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 6190
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 2:29 pm
Location: LUXOR
Has thanked: 3241 times
Been thanked: 3812 times
Gender:
Thailand

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by Dusak »

No doubt as we speak of this new law the Army are building their high tech surveillance camera manufacturing plant, you have to buy, but only from us.
Life is your's to do with as you wish- do not let other's try to control it for you. Count Dusak- 1345.
newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by newcastle »

Dusak wrote:No doubt as we speak of this new law the Army are building their high tech surveillance camera manufacturing plant, you have to buy, but only from us.

Good point.....and I wonder what "extras" their electronic gadgets come with?

I'm always nervous at staying in Army-owned hotels.....like the Lotus :tk

I suspect Moscow hotels have the same problem. Best stick to conventional "showers"
newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Egyptian camera bill stokes fears of surveillance state

Post by newcastle »

newcastle wrote:
Dusak wrote:No doubt as we speak of this new law the Army are building their high tech surveillance camera manufacturing plant, you have to buy, but only from us.

Good point.....and I wonder what "extras" their electronic gadgets come with?

I'm always nervous at staying in Army-owned hotels.....like the Lotus :tk

I suspect Moscow hotels have the same problem. Best stick to conventional "showers"
I should have said "police owned" ( in reference to the Lotus)....although the distinction is academic.

I imagine the police have more interest in "extra-curricular" activities than the military :lol:
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post
  • Egyptian MP Proposes Bill to Criminalize Child Marriage
    by HEPZIBAH » » in Know Egypt
    1 Replies
    566 Views
    Last post by newcastle
  • First Egyptian diagnosed with MERS : State TV
    by DJKeefy » » in News and Sport
    1 Replies
    516 Views
    Last post by Luckyme
  • officials say planned surveillance program is constitutional
    by DJKeefy » » in Know Egypt
    1 Replies
    569 Views
    Last post by Bullet Magnet
  • Egyptian cabinet approves three-month state of emergency
    by DJKeefy » » in Know Egypt
    2 Replies
    818 Views
    Last post by John Landon
  • Egyptian Muslims furious over state-written sermons
    by DJKeefy » » in Politics and Religion
    3 Replies
    1195 Views
    Last post by Dusak