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Africa North
Egypt's court shuts down belly dancing channel, religious cleric
2013-02-17
[Al Ahram] Egyptian administrative court rules in two separate cases on Saturday to cut the broadcast of a channel and a programme amid the recent rise in media-related cases.
The Islamo-fascist program proceeds apace. Not that it will help against the inevitable financial decline...
In the first case, the court orders that the popular Al-Tet belly dancing channel be taken off air for broadcasting on satellite without a license.

The court ruling also accused the channel of airing "provocative advertisements" for sexual products and for facilitating escort-like services.

In May, the owner of Al-Tet, Baleegh Hamdi was arrested on suspicions of facilitating prostitution through his channel, but was later released. Anyone involved in prostitution could face three years in jail under Egyptian law.

In the other case, the administrative court rejects an appeal on Saturday by Sheikh Abdullah Badr and Atef Abdel-Rashid, the owner Al-Hafez religious channel, against a ruling on 12 January that barred Badr's programme Fi Al-Mizan for 30 days.

Prominent actress Elham Shahin and TV anchor Hala Sarhan filed the original lawsuit, demanding the Al-Hafez channel be shut down for insulting Shahin on his programme.

"Elham Shahin is cursed and she will never enter heaven," Badr said on air.

Badr was slammed on 17 December with a year in jail and bail set at LE20,000 (roughly $3,000) by a misdemeanour court.

In November, Masr El-Gedida TV host and Salafist preacher Khaled Abdullah, known for his vocal criticism of liberals and opposition protesters, was taken off the air for 25 days by court order.

In August anti-revolution Al-Faraeen channel, owned by controversial TV anchor Tawfiq Okasha, was shut down after the Muslim Brotherhood filed a lawsuit accusing Okasha of inciting violence against the Brotherhood and encouraging attacks on President Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood's ranks. Al-Faraeen was brought back on air in October.
Posted by:Fred

#13  Barbara, why go to Egypt when you've got Sophie Mei
Posted by: tipper   2013-02-17 21:41  

#12  If the Egyptians become more devout, and Allah creates vast lakes of oil underneath their sand...

It will all drain out via the Gaza tunnels, there to mix with the vast Gazan poo ponds, becoming both unavailable and a helath and safety threat to the populace.

Somehow Israel will apply a technology newly invented for the purpose to make money and benefit the entire region, would they only accept what she has to offer...

Which they wouldn't.
Posted by: trailing wife   2013-02-17 20:45  

#11  If Egyptians become more devout, Allah will create vast oil wells under Egyptian soil, and newly-pious Egyptians can party like the Gulf state Sunnis. Hey, it worked for the Gulf Arabs...
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2013-02-17 16:19  

#10  Brazzers.com is, apparently, pron. Of course it is profitable.

Belly dancing, on the other hand, is art. That it, like all forms of dance, is sensual, does not move it into the ick category.

And belly dancing already is profitable, as well as an established career path for Egyptian girls. That's why a non-government television was able to support the channel, until the Third Wayers of the Muslim Brotherhood started enforcing their narrow interpretation of Shariah.
Posted by: trailing wife   2013-02-17 15:43  

#9  "I was thinking more about replacing the Oxygen channel with BDC (Belly Dancing Channel). It would definitely get more eyeballs."

Than the Oxygen channel? You're setting a pretty low bar there, Al.
Posted by: Barbara   2013-02-17 13:08  

#8  #3 Pappy:
Kinda beats the daylights out of TLC, doncha think?

I was thinking more about replacing the Oxygen channel with BDC (Belly Dancing Channel). It would definitely get more eyeballs.

Al
Posted by: Frozen Al   2013-02-17 12:54  

#7  The Islamo-fascist program proceeds apace. Not that it will help against the inevitable financial decline...

They just don't understand how profitable it could be, unlike some freedom-loving Lebanese. Brazzers was launched in early 2005 by Ouissam Youssef and Stephane Manos, friends at Concordia University, and Matt Keezer. While their website is managed from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the majority of their scenes and photographs are shot in Las Vegas, Nevada; San Antonio, Texas; Los Angeles, California; and Miami, Florida. Brazzers.com is frequently ranked as one of the top 500 most-viewed websites on the internet.
Posted by: Kojo Wholuse5660   2013-02-17 12:37  

#6  This is a popular form of entertainment. Like the Tango in Argentina. Belly dancing is popular in many countries in this part of the world. Russian belly dancers are very good for example. This is an art form to them. Hey, belly dancing is very popular here also. Good aerobic exercise.
Posted by: Dale   2013-02-17 12:14  

#5  Who needs a television channel when there's the internet, in all its glory?

Oh, right. Most Egyptians don't have internet, which is why they aren't secularists, or something.
Posted by: trailing wife   2013-02-17 12:01  

#4  "Egypt's court shuts down belly dancing channel, religious cleric"

If they'd actually shut down ALL their "religious clerics" they'd be a lot better off. :-(
Posted by: Barbara   2013-02-17 10:32  

#3  a whole channel for belly dancing?

Kinda beats the daylights out of TLC, doncha think?
Posted by: Pappy   2013-02-17 10:22  

#2  What's not to like? I say we give the producer and his 'talent' refugee status and a cable channel. Multicultural understanding, ya know? :D
Posted by: Nero   2013-02-17 01:01  

#1  a whole channel for belly dancing?

Posted by: lord garth   2013-02-17 00:16  

00:00