Egypt: Who Disabled Facebook's "We Are All Khaled Said" Page?
Friday, November 26, 2010 at 6:35
Scott Lucas in EA Middle East and Turkey, Egypt, Egypt Elections 2010, Facebook, Khaled Said, Middle East and Iran

UPDATE 1520 GMT: An activist reports, "Facebook reinstated the [Egyptian] groups but the moderators as of last night remain suspended, i.e., the groups are dead in the water."

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As Presidential elections approach, tension is rising in Egypt. On Thursday, authorities arrested 156 protesters over Wednesday's  clashes between Christians and police, sparked by the government's refusal of a permit to build a church. Those arrested have been accused of planning to kill policemen, and the public prosecutor has ordered their detention for two weeks.

One sign of the concern is the apparent decision to block the Facebook page "We Are All Khaled Said". In June, Said was allegedly beaten to death in Alexandria by two policemen after he refused to give them money. 

The case has sparked widespread, continuing protests, and the page gathered more than 3000 followers.

So, with more restrictions on information likely as the vote draws near, is Facebook --- which is a leading social media site in Egypt --- collaborating with the authorities?

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