Introduction
Since the ouster of Egyptian president Muhammad Morsi in 2013 and the rise to power of President ‘Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi, the regime under Al-Sisi’s leadership has been acting to take control of the media and suppress all dissent, including criticism of the regime’s treatment of its opponents, its economic policies, the government’s performance, or any other criticism. The regime has taken multiple measures to achieve this aim, including the takeover of public and private media by its associates, and the silencing or dismissal of journalists who dare to criticize the authorities.[1] Also to this end, the regime recently set up the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR), which has sweeping powers to close and block media outlets that do not abide by its rules.