
Egypt’s top court has struck down part of a law that allowed the Interior Ministry to ban all but officially sanctioned protests, a court official said Saturday.
The 2013 law, which has been used to jail activists for up to two years, required demonstrators to inform the ministry that they were planning a protest.
The ministry could then refuse permission.
The Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the article was unconstitutional, barrister Tareq Shibel said.
The court said in a statement that the constitution guaranteed freedom of association and the right to peaceful protest.
The authorities have deployed this law to prevent anti-government protests, but groups of people would be able to attend pro-authorities rallies during the same period.
The constitutional court’s verdict is final and cannot be appealed.
However, Saturday’s ruling does not mean the law will be scrapped in its entirety, said two court officials who did not wish to be identified.
The verdict is “a partial victory that has granted us a political victory” against the government, Tareq Al-Awady, one of the lawyers who challenged the law’s constitutionality, told AFP.
“We were hoping the court would accept our appeal against the two articles that criminalize and set the punishment, so imprisoned young people could be freed,” he said.
Following the verdict, “as long as the Interior Ministry is notified” about a protest it cannot ban it, Al-Awady said.
Source: Arab News
GMT 18:32 2018 Thursday ,11 January
Nearly 100,000 displaced by fighting in northwest SyriaGMT 18:54 2018 Monday ,08 January
Tunisian police disperse protests against price hikes, unemploymentGMT 18:38 2018 Sunday ,07 January
Imam inaugurates move back to the Prophet’s MihrabGMT 19:14 2018 Saturday ,06 January
Iran: opposition protests and pro-regime ralliesGMT 19:58 2018 Wednesday ,03 January
Polisario Threats MINURSO to Enter Restricted Zone of GuergueratGMT 18:19 2018 Monday ,01 January
Syria’s Assad names new defense and other ministersGMT 18:14 2018 Monday ,01 January
Abbas condemns Israeli ruling party vote for West Bank annexationGMT 00:20 2017 Saturday ,30 December
Makkah forum to boost innovation, leadership
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor