Egypt bans media coverage of funerals to protect family privacy

The Minister of Information in Egypt, Diaa Rashwan, has imposed a ban on filming and publishing footage of funerals and condolences for all Egyptian citizens, aiming to protect family privacy. This decision stems from consultations between the Ministry of Information and editors-in-chief of prominent licensed news websites. The ministry has implemented stringent ethical standards that now extend to media outlets and individuals, prohibiting them from capturing or publishing any footage of funerals and condolences, whether for ordinary citizens or public figures.

This regulation also applies to personal social media pages. The Egyptian public and officials have expressed strong disapproval of media coverage of private grief, particularly in instances where it involves capturing distressed family members or celebrities at funerals and mourning gatherings. Critics argue that such practices are intrusive violations of personal privacy, often driven by a desire for sensationalism or clickbait. The announcement of this ban first appeared on the Egypt Independent.