{"id":18014,"date":"2025-05-27T13:11:38","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T13:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/?p=18014"},"modified":"2025-05-27T13:12:04","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T13:12:04","slug":"egypt-passes-new-water-law-amid-free-speech-concerns-and-nile-crisis-escalation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/2025\/05\/27\/egypt-passes-new-water-law-amid-free-speech-concerns-and-nile-crisis-escalation\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt Passes New Water Law Amid Free Speech Concerns and Nile Crisis Escalation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Watan<\/strong><\/em>-In what rights groups call a new blow to free speech, Egypt\u2019s parliament passed a water regulation law on Monday that includes Article 73, criminalizing the publication of \u201cfalse news or rumors\u201d about water quality. The opposition and human rights organizations argue that the provision further curtails freedom of expression and suppresses criticism of state policies.<\/p>\n<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full\" dir=\"auto\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-62\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto py-5 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @[37rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @[72rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:32rem] @[34rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @[64rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto flex max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 text-base gap-4 md:gap-5 lg:gap-6 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"group\/conversation-turn relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"929fb4eb-c6f2-4731-9504-2309a2881afb\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-4o\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light\">\n<p data-start=\"1225\" data-end=\"1660\">The newly passed law, titled the \u201cDrinking Water and Sanitation Regulation Law,\u201d aims to open the sector to greater private sector involvement. However, controversy erupted over Article 73, which stipulates fines between 50,000 and 500,000 Egyptian pounds for anyone who spreads \u201crumors or incorrect information by any means\u201d regarding water quality, with the intent of \u201cdisturbing public peace or social security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1662\" data-end=\"1717\">MP Ahmed El-Borolosy opposed the article, asking:\u201cWill journalists be accused of disturbing the peace if they investigate water issues?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1809\" data-end=\"1911\">In response, Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Mahmoud Fawzi defended the law, saying:\u201cThis has nothing to do with journalists. Very few individuals might spread harmful misinformation, and it\u2019s in the public\u2019s interest to regulate such matters responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2088\" data-end=\"2181\">He added that judges, not the law itself, will determine whether an offense has occurred.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2188\" data-end=\"2244\">Concerns Over Prepaid Meters and Poor Households<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2246\" data-end=\"2393\">El-Borolosy also criticized the law\u2019s promotion of prepaid smart water meters, citing concerns about their impact on low-income citizens.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2396\" data-end=\"2492\">\u201cIf my daughter is thirsty and the meter runs out of credit, how do I give her water?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2494\" data-end=\"2738\">Housing Minister Sherif El-Sherbiny responded by assuring that prepaid meters emit warnings before credit runs out, and are part of a broader national effort to reduce water waste, particularly amid mounting Nile water tensions.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10508\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10508\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10508 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Grand-Ethiopian-Renaissance-Dam-a-focal-point-of-the-Nile-water-crisis-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a focal point of the Nile water crisis.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Grand-Ethiopian-Renaissance-Dam-a-focal-point-of-the-Nile-water-crisis-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Grand-Ethiopian-Renaissance-Dam-a-focal-point-of-the-Nile-water-crisis-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Grand-Ethiopian-Renaissance-Dam-a-focal-point-of-the-Nile-water-crisis-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/The-Grand-Ethiopian-Renaissance-Dam-a-focal-point-of-the-Nile-water-crisis.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10508\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a focal point of the Nile water crisis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 data-start=\"2745\" data-end=\"2801\">Nile Crisis: GERD Stalemate and Regional Strains<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2803\" data-end=\"2974\">At the same time, Egypt\u2019s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty warned that the situation with Ethiopia\u2019s Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) could reignite regional conflict.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2976\" data-end=\"3068\">Speaking at a policy forum held by the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo, he said:\u201cEgypt is working to preserve regional stability, but there are many pressure points in the region\u2014from Sudan to Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3192\" data-end=\"3414\">Egypt has suspended negotiations with Ethiopia for over a year, citing Ethiopia\u2019s continued unilateral actions and refusal to reach a binding agreement. Ethiopia completed the fifth filling of the dam in July 2023.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"3421\" data-end=\"3470\">Stalled Diplomacy and Regional Divergence<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3472\" data-end=\"3724\">In April, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan reaffirmed their rejection of \u201cunilateral actions\u201d on Nile waters and stressed the need to protect both countries\u2019 water security.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3726\" data-end=\"4163\">Years of talks between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia have failed to produce a legally binding agreement on dam operation and filling schedules\u2014especially during drought periods. Egypt and Sudan reject Ethiopia\u2019s stance that the 2015 Declaration of Principles is sufficient. They demand adherence to the 1959 Nile Water Agreement, which guarantees 55.5 billion m\u00b3 annually for Egypt and 18.5 billion m\u00b3 for Sudan.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4165\" data-end=\"4359\">Ethiopia, meanwhile, has advanced its support for the Entebbe-based Nile Basin Framework Agreement (\u201cEntebbe Agreement\u201d), a pact signed in 2010 by upstream countries without Egypt and Sudan.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3514\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3514\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3514 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi-1024x670.jpg\" alt=\"In April, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan reaffirmed their rejection of \u201cunilateral actions\u201d on Nile waters and stressed the need to protect both countries\u2019 water security.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"670\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi-150x98.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi-450x294.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/The-Egyptian-President-Abdel-Fattah-el-Sisi.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3514\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 data-start=\"4366\" data-end=\"4410\">Background: The Nile&#8217;s Critical Role<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"4412\" data-end=\"4596\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/2024\/01\/25\/unveiling-israeli-ambitions-uaes-role-in-weakening-egypt-and-the-impending-threat-to-the-nile\/\">Nile<\/a> River, the lifeline of millions, is shared by 11 countries:Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4598\" data-end=\"4823\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">As domestic laws tighten on water reporting and regional tensions flare, Egypt finds itself navigating both internal pressures and geopolitical challenges, with water security and press freedom hanging in the balance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-3 w-full empty:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"absolute\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"pointer-events-none h-px w-px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-edge=\"true\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Watan-In what rights groups call a new blow to free speech, Egypt\u2019s parliament passed a water regulation law on Monday that includes Article 73, criminalizing the publication of \u201cfalse news or rumors\u201d about water quality. The opposition and human rights organizations argue that the provision further curtails freedom of expression and suppresses criticism of state &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18015,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[59,5668,5666,5667],"class_list":["post-18014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-egypt","tag-egypts-parliament","tag-the-nile-river","tag-water-regulation-law"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Egypt Passes New Water Law Amid Free Speech Concerns and Nile Crisis Escalation - Watan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Egypt\u2019s new water law sparks backlash over free speech restrictions, especially Article 73, 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