EGYPT Law and Practice Contributed by: Ibrahim Shehata, Hesham Kamel, Mohamed Abed and Omar Selim, Shehata & Partners
Shehata & Partners Cairo Business Plaza North Tower 2nd Floor, Unit 204 New Cairo Cairo Egypt Tel: +2 28 135 692 Email: info@shehatalaw.com Web: shehatalaw.com
1. Legal and Regulatory Framework 1.1 Overview of Data and Privacy-Related Laws Data Protection and Privacy Law Sources in Egypt The Personal Data Protection Law issued under Law No 151 of 2020 (PDPL), together with its executive reg - ulations issued by the Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Decree No 816 of 2025 (“Regulations”), constitute the primary legal source governing data protection and privacy in Egypt. The PDPL is further supported by constitutional provisions and other complementary legislation. Constitutional foundation The Constitutional foundation of the PDPL is based on three provisions: • Article 28, stipulating that information-based activi - ties are key components of the national economy, and that the State commits to protecting them and increasing their competitiveness; • Article 31, stipulating that the security of infor - mation space is an integral part of the system of national economy and security; and • Article 57, stipulating that private life is inviolable, which extends to electronic correspondence, the confidentiality of which is guaranteed. Furthermore, the State shall protect the rights of citizens to use all forms of public means of communication.
The Telecommunications Law The Telecommunications Regulation Law No 10 of 2003 recognises the right to privacy within the tel - ecommunications sector by reinforcing the confi - dentiality of communications, notably through Article 73, which criminalises the unlawful disclosure of the content of communications or information relating to users of telecommunications networks. The Cybercrimes Law The Cybercrimes Law No 175 of 2018 constitutes a complementary legislative source of the PDPL, as it establishes direct criminal protection for personal data and the right to privacy. In particular, Article 25 criminalises the unlawful disclosure or use of personal data and any conduct that violates individuals’ pri - vacy without their consent, while Article 26 imposes enhanced penalties for the misuse of information technology in processing personal data in a manner that harms a person’s reputation or dignity. Interaction Between Data and Privacy Laws Across Different Levels of the Legal System Sector-specific laws, including the Telecommunica - tions Law and the Cybercrimes Law, may intersect with the PDPL where personal data is processed, secured, retained or disclosed within regulated sec - tors. This intersection commonly arises in matters relating to confidentiality of communications, data security measures, data retention obligations and unlawful access or disclosure. In such cases, the PDPL establishes the general data protection princi - ples, while sector-specific laws impose complementa -
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