Middle East matters
Authorities in Iraq and Egypt launch social media crackdown
Issued on: 01/03/2023 – 12:55
MIDDLE EAST MATTERS12:50
MIDDLE EAST MATTERS © FRANCE 24
By:
Stéphanie CHEVAL
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Aline BOTTIN
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Laura WELFRINGER
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Charli James
1 min
Iraq’s government is going after what it calls “decadent content” on social media. Users of TikTok, Instagram and other platforms who are found to breach “morals and traditions” can now be jailed. The campaign was announced in January and so far, a dozen people have been arrested. Our correspondent Marie-Charlotte Roupie reports.
Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have also targeted online content creators. Activists there are warning about a worsening human rights situation overall. A group of major NGOs are urging the UN Human Rights Council to pressure Egypt’s government to stop what they call a “brutal crackdown” on civil society. For more, we’re joined by FRANCE 24’s Thameen Al-Kheetan, who also works for our Arabic channel.
Over in the occupied West Bank, retaliatory attacks are intensifying. An Israeli-American was shot and killed in his car near the city of Jericho on February 27. This came after Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages near Nablus, burning dozens of cars and houses. Israel has sent hundreds more troops to the West Bank in a bid to contain the violence.
The death toll in Turkey and Syria has now surpassed 50,000 following the devastating earthquakes that struck the two countries on February 6. Some of those who survived are suffering from an alarming medical condition called “crush syndrome.” We take a closer look.
