- Human Rights
- February 24, 2011
- 4 minutes read
ANHRI submits complaint accusing Telecommunications of endangering lives
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information yesterday filed a complaint to the Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud, demanding an investigation with both the minister of communications, and Chairman of the National Telecommunications Authority , CEOs of mobile phones companies Mobinil, Etisalat , Vodafone and telecommunications services and CEOs of ISPs LINKdotNET, TE Data “for criminal liability in participation in harming and killing demonstrators by cutting off Internet and telecommunication services in Egypt arbitrarily.
Demonstrators in Tahrir Square area, including ANHRi’s team were surprised on the evening of January 25th , 2011 by an intended and malicious interruption of telecommunications services which resulted in moral , financial damage and families were in panic . The service was cut for 3 consecutive days exposing protesters to deadly risks as those who were injured were unable to get immediate medical aid ts which resulted in a high death toll.
ISPs Link.net and TE Data have harmed citizens and Internet users in Egypt, including the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information by impeding their work, which relies heavily on the Internet. Both cut off Internet services for more than five days from January 28th to February 2nd , 2011 , an unacceptable assault on the rights of Internet users and a blatant violating of terms of the contract.
One tragic example is the martyr Ahmed Abdel-Rahim Ahmed, 18 years who was shot in the chest by criminals of the interior ministry while taking part in the peaceful demonstrations. His friends tried to each ambulance but the interruption of telecommunications services denied Ahmed of the right to treatment. His friends carried him to the nearest hospital but sorrily he died after so much bleeding.
The Arabic Network said, “The criminality of telecommunications companies and ISPs during the revolution of January 25 did not stop at the violation of the right of citizens of Egyptians in communication and their right to freedom of expression and abiding to the criminal officials’ orders by breaching the terms of contract with the citizens, but criminality extended to participation in the siege of peaceful demonstrators and the deliberate denial of medical aid, which holds them criminally responsible and the Prosecutor General has to open an urgent investigation so that criminal would not enjoy impunity”.
The Arabic Network “past time to talk about points of gel, it is necessary to know the name of the person who issued the decision to cut off service – specifically – and whether this decision was written, legal or not? May explain the existence of a written decision the size of the responsibility of these companies from taking part in the crime of the siege of the demonstrators and killed , but remains involved in this siege, the participation in the crime must be punished for it. ”