Egyptian Authorities Silence Conservative TV Station

Photo Credit: Ahram Online

Egyptian authorities ordered the closure of a television station owned by conservative, anti-revolution talk show host Tawfiq Okasha Thursday. Okasha’s Faraeen satellite television channel, which is known for its ultra-nationalist, anti-revolutionary, anti-Brotherhood stances, ceased transmission yesterday after authorities ordered the station’s closure for at least one month. The closure follows a lawsuit filed by the Freedom and Justice Party, which has accused Okasha of encouraging attacks on President Morsi.

Meanwhile, Egyptian security claims that authorities have arrested nine Islamic militants in the norther Sinai, believed to be linked to last weekend’s attacks that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. The arrests, which are the first since Sunday’s attacks, took place during joint army and police patrols searching for criminals in North Sinai province. The arrests came after an amassing of troops in the region, where according to Aljazeera, “Military trucks carrying dozens of armored personnel carriers mounted with machine guns rolled through the town of al-Arish heading eastwards.” In a televised statement, the Egyptian armed forces called on residents and Bedouin tribes in Sinai to help troops restore order and fulfill their security tasks.

Finally, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems released a report that “examines the legal challenges against the electoral systems used in the recent elections, the impact of decisions made by the Supreme Constitutional Court, and what the future electoral framework might look like.”