Egyptians debate over draft law limiting protests

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Contradictory² reports emerged these days on whether the Shura Council, the country's temporary legislative³ authority, had received a proposed law to regulate demonstrations⁵, sit-ins and strikes.

Mekki's statement made it clear that the intended law was not a ghost but a reality, even if it has not yet been submitted to the Shura Council for discussion.

Leaked reports said the controversial law specifies⁶ the time of protests from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., regulating that protests can neither cause traffic jam nor include damage or sabotage⁷ and they cannot be held outside the presidential palace.

The proposed law also stipulates⁸ that strikes must be staged at least 14 days after prior notice and cannot affect work and production, which is seen as "ridiculous" by opposers of the law, as strike worldwide means halting production as a means of pressure.

Most political parties and movements in Egypt, including some Islamist ones, strongly rejected the draft law, arguing it limits freedom of expression and serves only the current administration.

The main opposition⁹ bloc¹⁰ dubbed¹¹ "the National Salvation¹² Front" denounced the law as "notorious," saying it represents a copy of the repressive laws adopted at the time of former President Hosni Mubarak.

"The Front, with its various political parties and revolutionary forces, will stand against this law and will take all necessary political and legal measures to hold protests against such a freedom-limiting law," Hussein Abdel-Ghani, the Front's spokesman, told Xinhua.

For his part, political activist¹³ and Front member Karima al- Hifnawi said the law "is an unforgivable crime against human rights. Whoever proposed this law is more evil than the devil as it prepares for a terrorist, repressive, fascist¹⁴, police state."

Al-Hifnawi added that Egyptians broke the barrier of fear and held anti-government protests despite the emergency law during the time of Mubarak and they would not give up their right of expression under any circumstances.

The April 6 Movement, a well-known Egyptian movement that helped spark the upheaval¹⁵ that ended Mubarak's rule, condemned¹⁶ the intended law as a step back toward the Mubarak era.

"We as a movement had unique experience with Mubarak's police. In 2010, we sent the Interior Ministry¹⁷ an official notice through a police station that we intended to hold a demonstration⁴. The result was that 100 of our members were arrested," Mohamed Adel, member of the movement, told Xinhua, rejecting any law stipulating¹⁸ prior notice beforehand.

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