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Company Response

22 Feb 2011

Author:
Compiled by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Egypt: Telecoms & internet blackout Jan-Feb 2011, and company responses

In February 2011 Human Rights First wrote to telecommunications companies and internet providers operating in Egypt. It asked them to share details about the circumstances in which a service blackout in Egypt took place, in the days prior to the revolution...Business & Human Rights Resource Centre also contacted the companies, encouraging them to respond to Human Rights First’s letter. Noor Group, LINKdotNet, Vodafone responded; Etisalat and Egypt Telecom did not respond; Raya Group responded saying that Raya Holding sold Raya Telecom to Vodafone Egypt in 2006, so Raya is no longer an Internet Service Provider (ISP) / Telco provider in Egypt.

Part of the following timelines

Analysis of potential US Alien Tort Claims Act case against Vodafone, Mobinil for role in aiding Mubarak's communications blackout during revolution

Egypt: Following Vodafone's controversial ad, opinion says "role telecommunications firms did play in Egypt’s revolution hardly advanced human rights: in fact, their actions made many more vulnerable" - Vodafone said it did not authorise the video

Egypt: Telecoms & internet blackout Jan-Feb 2011, and company responses