Egypt's upper house modifies political rights law

Egypt's Shura Council (upper house of parliament) agreed in principle on Tuesday to modify a political rights law based on the suggestions of the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC). "The legislative committee had finished modifying the law of exercising political rights after considering the suggestions of the constitutional court," parliamentary member Sobhy Saleh said in press statements after Tuesday's Shura Council session. On May 25, the SCC referred back to the Shura Council the political rights law due to the "unconstitutionality" of nine articles. Those articles, deemed by the court as unconstitutional, were mainly related to the representation of electoral districts, non- prohibition of using religious slogans during electoral campaigns and giving the voting right to police and military personnel. According to Saleh, the modifications run by the Shura Council include delaying the voting right of military and police personnel to 2020 and banning religious slogans in electoral campaigns. The modifications also guarantee the voting by Egyptian expatriates under full judiciary supervision.