"Egyptians Fear Privacy Invasion as New Law Permits Digital Surveillance" 11 February 2025

The draft Criminal Procedure Law has resurfaced following the Egyptian parliament’s recent approval of a provision permitting the surveillance of phones and social media platforms. This move has sparked widespread human rights concerns over potential privacy violations and stirred debates regarding its constitutional validity...
...The law also permits the monitoring of wired and wireless communications, social media accounts and their non-public content, emails, text, audio, or video messages on phones or devices, and any other technological means. It authorizes the seizure of media containing such data or the recording of conversations held in private spaces if it aids in uncovering the truth in felonies or misdemeanors punishable by more than three months in prison...
...The law has caused concern among Egyptians, dominating social media discussions, with many expressing fears over potential privacy invasions or legal repercussions from private communications unrelated to criminal charges...
...During discussions in early January, some parliamentarians opposed the unlimited extension of surveillance periods, suggesting limiting them to two 30-day periods. However, the parliament rejected these proposals...
...Concerns arise over surveillance and spying on private communications, which should be conditioned on thorough investigations and fair law enforcement...noting that surveillance could often target political opposition or critics of economic and governmental policies, not just criminals or those charged with crimes...
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