Brussels, 10/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 10 December, the head of the Middle East, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan Division at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Patrick Costello, suggested that Egypt change its legislation on demonstrations. The new Egyptian Parliament is soon due to sit again - which it has not done since June 2012 (see EUROPE 10635).
“The law concerning demonstrations is a legislative text which must be repealed” quite quickly so that “people imprisoned under this law might be unconditionally released”, Costello stated at a hearing on Egypt in the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee. He affirmed that this subject had been discussed between the EU and the Egyptian authorities in mid-November.
In Costello's view, the law on foreign funding for NGOs should also be repealed, as should that on the fight against terrorism and on the freedom of assembly - which made the turnout in the parliamentary elections quite difficult (only 28% and still less among young people). This legislation does not seem in line with Egypt's constitution, he said. The new constitution was adopted by referendum in 2014 (see EUROPE 11000) and the parliament must now implement it.
According to this constitution, when the parliament is not in session, the president of the republic can issue decrees but these must be “presented, discussed and approved by the new Chamber of Representatives within 2 weeks of the start of its session”. A European source believed that there was little chance of the Egyptian Parliament revoking these laws, however. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)