Egypt Blocks Pr0n Sites

A Muslim lawyer championed in Egyptian court when the judge ruled that all pornographic websites should be blocked. Up to recently, Egypt was the only Middle-Eastern country which did not restrict Web access. There are an estimated 12 million Egyptian Internet users, the largest in the worldwide Arab community.

The court ruling said, "Freedoms of expression and public rights should be restricted by maintaining the fundamentals of religion, morality, and patriotism." The court has instructed the government to restrict access to any and all pornographic sites.

While the ruling may be appealed, Egyptian lawmakers note it would put them in a bad situation, as overturning the ruling at this point would send the message that Egypt condones, or even supports, pornography.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009