State Prosecutor Orders Egypt to Block All Porn Sites

EGYPT—Apparently bolstered by the increasing influence of Islamist groups within the country, Egyptian state prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud on Wednesday "ordered government authorities 'to take the necessary measures to block any corrupt or corrupting pornographic pictures or scenes inconsistent with the values ​​and traditions of the Egyptian people and the higher interests of the state.'" Reuters has reported. The prosecutor based his decision on recent court rulings, including one in 2009 that ordered all porn sites to be banned, and another this March, when, as AVN reported, an Egyptian judge decreed that all pornography on the internet was illegal. But critics of the rise of Islamic parties in the country warn that the move could be a pretext to censor other speech, as well. According to Minnesota Public Radio, "Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian-American activist, sent a tweet saying 'I'm not arguing w anyone about porn but know this: 'ban' porn sites today, ban your sites tomorrow.'" The station also reported that while pornography is not permitted in Arab countries, "in Egypt and some other places the government has not actively tried to prevent access to online sites." One reason for that might be the price tag. "Last spring," cited MPR, "technology experts estimated the costs of such a ban would weigh in around $16.5 million."