WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (IslamOnline) - The currently banned Egyptian Islamist newspaper al-Shaab has found other avenues to disseminate its views, namely on the Internet.
Al-Shaab was banned last June for allegedly sparking student riots, and for having links with the Ikhwan al-Muslimeen (Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood).
Editor Magdy Hussein said, "We've been publishing a collection of articles from our major writers on our Internet site for over a month."
The website gathers articles from noted writers of the banned print edition and also articles published in other newspapers.
Hussein, who was released from prison last December, says that the government has so far refrained from interfering with its
website.
Hussein also said that he hopes that the ban on its print edition will be lifted soon after al-Shaab's publisher, the Labor party and the government, sort out their differences.
"After next Tuesday, the government will have no more excuses, so we expect to return at the beginning of March," Hussein said.
In an unrelated development, Egypt's first gay site has been closed and its owners arrested.
The two Egyptian homosexuals reportedly posted obscene photos of themselves and solicited for sex, either paid or unpaid.
A court sentenced Sami Gamal for 3 years and Gameel Gebreel for 15 months, calling their website unprecedented. It said the two had "abused the technological revolution to do their disgraceful act that defames Egypt."
It charged the two for committing an unspecified indecent act. Homosexuality is illegal in Egypt.
