Cutting Internet Services from Pro-Morsi Camps Area Is Legal – Official

An official source in National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (NTRA), has asserted that the current law allows for telecommunications and internet to cut in any area in Egypt including Rabaa al-Adawiya sit-in in Nasr City and El Nahada square in Giza.

The source has pointed out to Amwal Al Ghad that the reaction of cutting the internet and telecommunication will be a lot less in compared to the uprising of 28 January. Noting that the current political disagreements will play an important role in reducing the reaction of cutting the service.

The Telecom Act (Law 10/2003) stated that competent authorities shall have the power to subject to their administration all Telecommunication Services and networks of any Operator or Service Provider and call operation and maintenance employees of such services and networks in case of natural or environmental disasters or during declared periods of general mobilization in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 87 of 1960 or any other cases concerning National  Security.

The source added that Eng. Atef Helmy, the Egyptian Minister of Information and Communication Technology (MCIT) does not have the right to prevent security authorities in case of threatening the national security, stressing that the Ministry is not within the governing bodies to cut the telecommunications in Egypt.