New documentary on Egyptian conscription faces strong criticism
An Al Jazeera documentary about Egypt’s military conscription was broadcast to a wave of protests from officials in Cairo.
Soldiers and stories about conscription in Egypt are an area that no one dares write about, much less make films about. But the Qatar-based Al Jazeera media company recently decided to address the issue of conscription in Egypt.
According to Article 3 of Law No. 127 (1980), military service in Egypt is mandatory for men ages 18 to 30. Conscripts spend a period of military service either in the Egyptian armed forces or in the police sector, and men of service age can't get a job or travel until after they have completed their military service.
