After putting out TV commercials warning locals not to talk to foreigners because they might be spies, the Egyptian government came under fire yesterday from bloggers and journalists alike.
The adverts, which were shown on both public and private TV networks, we see an Egyptian girl talking to a foreigner about a conspiracy against the army. The foreigner is shown tapping the information into his phone while dramatic music plays in the background.
They end with the message “Every word has a price; a word can save a nation”, clearly designed to inspire suspicion against foreign visitors to the country.
Most Egyptians were bemused and angry about the message, taking to their blogs and Twitter accounts to mock the commercials. Cairo-based journalist Reem Abdellatif said the adverts took Egypt back to the "Dark Ages".
However, others thought the adverts could have serious implications for civil rights and individual freedoms in the desert state.
Speaking to The Independent yesterday, one Cairo-based American photographer said he felt the xenophobia in Egypt had got markedly worse in recent months. "I've felt less safe," said Cliff Cheney, 38. "I've felt more animosity."
Egyptians online have complained about anti-foreigner stories appearing on state-television news channels since the Military Council took over power last year. Many have included lines about “foreign hands” mysteriously involved in Egyptian politics.
Do you think the adverts are right? Tell us what you think.
