Egypt issues draft anti-protest law

Egypt’s Justice Ministry has issued a comprehensive draft law for regulating the right to protest, following almost a week of violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The new law stipulates protest organisers would have to notify the country’s Interior Ministry five days in advance of any action. It also would grant the police the right to use force -- including birdshot -- and prohibit demonstrations near presidential palaces, police stations, ministries and military institutions. The draft’s controversial Article 9 even gives the Interior Minister or security director the right to reject or postpone a demonstration, if there are substantial grounds for this. If the law is passed, protesters will be banned from wearing masks or demonstrating in residential areas after 2300 hrs, penalising transgressors with fines of between 20,000 and 50,000 EGP. "The draft is to be put forward to a community dialogue," Justice Minister Ahmed Mekki said. "The draft aims to preserve the right to demonstration and at the same time protect public property," he added. On January 30 Mekki also announced that new articles could be added to the draft law, which is currently being discussed in the Shura Council, the upper house of the Egyptian parliament. Human rights experts and labour groups have broadly condemned the 26 articles of the draft law.