Egypt

Draft transitional justice bill would give committees far-reaching powers

The Shura Council Human Rights Committee is working on a draft transitional justice law that would establish special courts and fact-finding committees.

The bill would give the committees far-reaching authority to investigate government institutions, including the president's office, the Interior Ministry, the intelligence services and the Central Bank, as well as many others, according to state run news paper Al-Akhbar.

The paper quoted Nour Eddin Ali, the Shura Council's legal counsel, as saying that the law aims to take Egypt past the phase of democratic transition after the 25 January revolution and help heal the psychological effects of the former regime by seeking compensation for the victims of wrongful arrests, imprisonment and torture.

He added that the law emphasized openness, reconciliation and accountability. Reconciliation would envision human rights abusers admitting their wrongdoings to their victims.

"The compensation of victims may be moral or financial. In the case of economic cases and smuggling funds, compensation money goes to the state treasury,” said Ali.

 

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