Would your internet activity put you at risk of going to jail in Egypt?

In Egypt, this significantly increases your chances of going to prison, and your website or account can probably be blocked under the new Cybercrime Law. Under Article 7, any website can be blocked if its content is considered a crime under the law, provided that it poses a threat to national security or jeopardizes the security of the country or its national economy. Egyptian law enforcement also has a history of targeting anyone who speaks out with surveillance and “pretrial detention,” which allows them to put you in jail even though you haven’t been found guilty of a crime.

Are you sure? In some cases, even the most basic expression of dissent, dissatisfaction with the government, or ideas that are considered outside acceptable social constructs (for example, content related to LGBTQI individuals) is deemed a threat. Under Article 7, any website can be blocked if its content is considered a crime under the law, provided that it poses a threat to national security or jeopardizes the security of the country or its national economy. Egyptian law enforcement also has a history of targeting anyone who speaks out with surveillance and “pretrial detention,” which allows them to put you in jail even though you haven’t been found guilty of a crime.

No matter the content, this kind of account puts you at risk in Egypt. Under Article 24 of the Cybercrime Law, the penalty for creating a "fake" social media account, email address, or website is at least three months in prison, a fine between EGP10,000 and EGP30,000, or both. If the account impersonates a public person (i.e. the president), the penalty is imprisonment and a fine between EGP100,000 and EGP300,000. These penalties apply even if no harm was caused. Worse, if the government determines the account has caused some kind of “harm,” you could be sent to jail for at least one year.

Even if you don’t have this kind of account yourself, you likely have seen at least one that is very popular. They are used to communicate the news, share a laugh, and generally allow for creative expression. But under Article 24 of the Cybercrime Law, the penalty for creating a "fake" social media account, email address, or website is at least three months in prison, a fine between EGP10,000 and EGP30,000, or both. If the account impersonates a public person (i.e. the president), the penalty is imprisonment and a fine between EGP100,000 and EGP300,000. These penalties apply even if no harm was caused. Worse, if the government determines the account has caused some kind of “harm,” you could be sent to jail for at least one year.

Under Egypt’s new Cybercrime Law, that makes you — not just the hacker — a criminal. According to Article 29, you could be penalized for not taking the necessary “precautionary measures” if your account or website is hacked or compromised. Even though the law doesn’t say what those precautionary measures are, you could still be punished with at least six months in prison, a fine between EGP10,000 and EGP100,000, or both. If the hacker uses your account to commit another crime and you don’t report it (even if you aren’t aware of it), you’ll be facing at least three months in prison and/or a fine between EGP30,000 and EGP100,000.

Great. Keep using strong digital security practices so you don’t become a criminal alongside the person doing the actual hacking. According to Article 29, you could be penalized for not taking the necessary “precautionary measures” if your account or website is hacked or compromised. Even though the law doesn’t say what those precautionary measures are, you could still be punished with at least six months in prison, a fine between EGP10,000 and EGP100,000, or both. If the hacker uses your account to commit another crime and you don’t report it (even if you aren’t aware of it), you’ll be facing at least three months in prison and/or a fine between EGP30,000 and EGP100,000.

Then you can now be charged as a journalist. Under recent changes to Egypt’s laws regulating the media, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation has the authority to impose censorship, blocking, or other sanctions on websites, blogs, or social media accounts with 5,000 or more followers — and even prosecute their owners — because they are now considered forms of “media.” The regulation targets dissemination of false news, incitement to violate Egyptian law, or incitement of violence or hatred or discrimination, but without clear definitions or processes to defend free speech. This move allows the government to impose even more control over the exchange of information online, following the blocking of hundreds of media outlets, civil society organizations, and other critical voices.

Then you might want to keep it that way. Under recent changes to Egypt’s laws regulating the media, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation has the authority to impose censorship, blocking, or other sanctions on websites, blogs, or social media accounts with 5,000 or more followers — and even prosecute their owners — because they are now considered forms of “media.” The regulation targets dissemination of false news, incitement to violate Egyptian law, or incitement of violence or hatred or discrimination, but without clear definitions or processes to defend free speech. This move allows the government to impose even more control over the exchange of information online, following the blocking of hundreds of media outlets, civil society organizations, and other critical voices.

Be careful who’s in the background of your selfies. Under to the new Cybercrime Law, you could be facing a minimum of six months in prison or a fine between EGP50,000 and EGP100,000 for publishing a personal photo without the person’s consent.

Then you’re one of the few. Yet under to the new Cybercrime Law, posting a photo on social media without someone’s consent — even if they’re just in the background — can be punished with a minimum of six months in prison or a fine between EGP50,000 and EGP100,000.

You could be criminally liable for undermining “family principles and values upheld by Egyptian society.” Any content you share related to this campaigns puts you at risk of receiving a minimum of six months in prison and/or a fine ranging between EGP50,000 and EGP100,000, under Article 25. The definition of terms like “family principles or values” aren’t clear, and they are the same terms authorities have previously used to censor advertisements, delete scenes from series and movies, and ban television programs.

Even if you haven’t taken part in such campaigns, the lack of definition for Article 25 crimes threatening “family principles and values upheld by Egyptian society” means they can be used to silence speech and prosecute internet users through biased interpretations. These are the same terms authorities have previously used to censor advertisements, delete scenes from series and movies, and ban television programs.

Free WiFi is great, but according to Article 13, you could receive a prison sentence of no less than three months or be fined between EGP10,000 and EGP50,000. This is especially problematic in Egypt where overall poverty levels impede access to broadband internet for many households, and infrastructure challenges mean a large number of people either have no internet access or are forced to share cable and wireless internet.

Overall poverty levels in Egypt impede access to broadband internet for many Egyptian households. Landlines are not universal, and large segments of the country, especially on the periphery, are not connected to the landline telephone grid. Even when they are, the phone infrastructure, based on antiquated underground copper lines, frequently does not allow for speeds above 1 Mbps. This means that a large number of people either have no access to the internet or are forced to share cable and wireless internet. Yet, under Article 13, this could earn you a prison sentence of no less than three months or a fine between EGP10,000 and EGP50,000.

These tools are important components of digital security, but in Egypt, their use can also get you in deeper trouble if you’re already targeted by law enforcement. Under Article 22 of the Cybercrime Law, it is illegal — and punishable with additional jail time — to use encryption to carry out one of the crimes listed in the law (e.g. threatening public safety, inciting violence or discrimination, etc.) or to hide evidence related to those crimes. Because the law does not define these crimes clearly, law enforcement can use it to target a broad range of legitimate activity, like journalistic research or community organizing, and to impose even harsher punishments if they find encryption tools on those targets’ devices.

Actually, you might without even knowing it. Many Apple products have built-in encryption options to secure data on a locked device, and popular messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp use end-to-end encryption. And even if you don’t, important voices in your community like journalists and community activists rely on these tools to keep themselves safe while they do their work. Under Article 22 of the Cybercrime Law, it is illegal to use encryption to carry out one of the crimes listed in the law (e.g. threatening public safety, inciting violence or discrimination, etc.) or to hide evidence related to those crimes. Because the law does not define these crimes clearly, law enforcement can use it to target a broad range of legitimate activity and to impose even harsher punishments if they find encryption tools on those targets’ devices.