Skip to main content

Egypt police confiscate rights group’s publication

By WTOP Staff

SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian security forces confiscated copies of a human rights group’s newsletter and arrested a print shop worker, saying the publication threatened the government, the head of the group said Sunday.

Gamal Eid, of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information, said police seized 1,000 copies of the publication, entitled Wasla, or Link, from the printers the night before. Lawyers said investigators accused the worker of illegally printing material that advocates the overthrow of the government and of belonging to a terrorist group, in reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, said Rawda Ahmed, a lawyer for the group.

The government declared the Brotherhood a terrorist organization last year and has cracked down on its members and activities.

It was not clear if ANHRI itself or the content of the newsletter was the source of the accusations, Ahmed said.

In a statement, the group said the worker is not responsible for the published material, and denied it was “seditious.” The worker will continue to be held pending further investigation from the national security agency, and Eid has been called in for questioning Monday, Ahmed said.

ANHRI is an Egyptian human rights and legal center focusing on freedom of expression and Internet freedom in the region.

The newsletter is a digest of blogs and social media content that has been distributed to select readers by mail since 2010. The current issue focused on newly elected President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, with activists discussing the sources of his popularity. One of the contributors argued in favor of el-Sissi’s left-wing opponent in the elections, while another supported voting for el-Sissi, saying he would keep Egypt a secular state. The issue also included an article on journalist who works for Qatar-based broadcaster al-Jazeera who has been in detention since last year, without formal charges and on hunger strike for over 100 days in protest.

Security officials were not immediately available for comment.

Eid called the accusations “ludicrous,” and feared they were the start of a crackdown on civil groups critical of the government. He said the confiscation broke the law and was unconstitutional, giving an ominous sign for freedom of expression under the new president, just a week into his term.

Egypt’s newly amended constitution states that censorship or confiscation of publications is prohibited, permitting “limited censorship in times of war or general mobilization.”

Since last year’s overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, the government has shuttered the Brotherhood’s daily newspaper and closed a number of Islamist TV stations.

Also on Sunday, police seized a number of supermarket chains in Cairo and its twin city of Giza, owned by a deputy leader of the Brotherhood, Khairat el-Shater, currently in jail, and another wealthy businessman considered a supporter of the group. A government committee has been inventorying the assets of the group and has already ordered the assets of over 500 members seized. Schools and charity groups operated by the Brotherhood have already been targeted by the decision, part of government moves to cripple it by severing its finances.

The head of the committee that reviewed the Brotherhood assets, Ezzat Khamis, told local media that 42 branches of the two stores were being inventoried and will be handed over to a government appointed agent to run.

The Brotherhood denies it adopts violence and has kept up its protests against the current authorities.

The supermarkets are among the better known businesses linked to the group, and employ thousands of staff. An economist with a major investment bank said the confiscation Sunday was expected and is in line with government policy to go after the group, downplaying it would have an impact on the general investment atmosphere in Egypt. He agreed to speak on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive business matter.

El-Sissi has made it a priority to attract foreign and domestic investment to help Egypt’s ailing economy. He has so far gained strong financial support from Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and other Gulf countries, who opposed the Brotherhood’s rise to power.

Also Sunday, the trial of the brother of al-Qaida leader Ayman el-Zawahri, a native Egyptian, opened but was adjourned swiftly because security officials couldn’t secure his presence in court. Mohammed el-Zawahri was referred to trial along with 67 others in April on charges of forming and leading a terrorist group linked to al-Qaida and planning attacks. El-Zawahri, arrested after Morsi’s ouster, had been freed from prison following the 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote