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#+title: 2023-10-27

27 October 2023

Egypt must do its best to provide emergency telecommunications into Gaza

The UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression has concluded in his 2011 report that "the Internet has become a key means by which individuals can exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression"[1]. As Israel begins its ground operations in the Gaza Strip, all public telecommunications to and from Gaza are shut down[2]. The ongoing violation of right of Palestinians and everyone in Gaza to life and physical integrity is being compounded by a complete blackout on their right to seek, receive and impart information, most importantly on the ongoing war crimes taking place in the Gaza Strip.

While calls on Israel, the United Nations Security Council, and other international actors to begin a cease fire continue, we call on Egypt to unilaterally increase its mobile networks coverage further into southern Gaza, and provide unfettered emergency telephony and internet services to Gaza phone subscribers who are close enough to the Egyptian border at local cost or for no cost. Any amount of telecommunication between Gaza and the outside world is now key for protecting rights and for accountability. Egypt is under no international obligation to take part in the current information blackout, and may indeed have an obligation under international humanitarian law to help. In addition, Egypt's current telecom regulation framework gives the government the power to commandeer telecom operators (Telecom Act 10/2003 article 67) 'in cases of natural or environmental disasters, in cases of mass mobilization [...] or in any other case relating to national security.' By increasing the capacity, power and range of its public telecommunication on its side of the border, allowing for telecommunication users across the border in Palestinian Rafah and beyond to directly connect to Egyptian networks , Egypt would be protecting the rights of millions of Palestinians to share their most difficult moments.


[1] https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.27_en.pdf
[2] https://twitter.com/netblocks/status/1717942556703551590
