CAIRO — The anti-government demonstrations that broke out in a number of Egyptian governorates Sept. 20 were met with further restrictions on the press and other media, including the blocking of several international news websites, the denial of internet access and the hindering of social networking sites.
Netblocks, an Egyptian company that tracks online disruptions, reported Sept. 22 that major internet service providers in Egypt had begun to restrict access to some websites and that disruptions had hit several social media platforms and news websites, including the Arabic versions of BBC Arabic and Al-Hurra. It also reported widespread censorship of several news sites and restrictions on Facebook images by telecom providers Telecom Egypt and Raya Holding for Financial Investments. Netblocks emphasized that these restrictions undermine freedom of the press and the right of assembly and noted that the current responses come at a time when political opposition is being curtailed and protesters arrested.