Egyptian Cabinet to Review Communications law to Protect the Right to Access Information

CAIRO, April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- With Photo

- "Cutting Mobile Communications and Internet During the Egyptian Revolution was Inappropriate"

The Egyptian Cabinet of Ministers has announced a review of the current communications law, and in particular article no. 67 which stipulates that proper authorities of the land can instruct service providers and mobile operators to cut their services in the case of any disaster or situation jeopardizing the national security of the country.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20110415/449937 )

The Cabinet of Ministers described the decision to cut mobile communications and internet - taken by the previous regime during the Egyptian revolution - as "inappropriate".

The Cabinet stressed that the process of amending the article will be guided by similar articles in communications laws enacted by democratic and transparent countries and said that the amended article will not be used to curb the rights of citizens to access information or to jeopardize their safety.

Commenting on the announcement Dr. Magued Osman, Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said: "The communications and Internet cut will not happen again in the future as the ministry is currently preparing a law draft to amend some of the articles of the telecommunications law no. 10, and especially article no. 67 to prohibit any entity from unilaterally cutting communications and Internet."

The Cabinet also hailed the improvements of the Egyptian ICT sector since 1999 and the continued programs and initiatives to spread the use of Internet amongst various communities in Egypt which resulted in more than 22 million internet users.

The National Telecommunications Regulation Agency, NTRA, is currently reviewing the article and will suggest the required amendment to be enacted in the coming weeks.

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available from the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA). To view, go to https://webgate.epa.eu/ and log in using Username: prnewswire and Password: guest01

A picture accompanying this release is also available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

SOURCE Ministry of Communications & IT