MPs from Jama’a al-Islamiya’s Building and Development Party, the Wafd Party, the Karama Party and the Salafi Nour Party submitted a draft law requesting amnesty for all political prisoners since the assassination of Sadat until the resignation of President Mubarak on 11 February 2011.
They have excluded criminal offenses and limited their request to political crimes, as long as the goal was to topple the regime.
Parliament Speaker Saad al-Katatny has referred the request to the Suggestions and Complaints Committee.
“It is high time those prisoners are released,” said MP Amer Abdel Rehim from the Building and Development Party. “They were charged with attempting to overthrow the regime, which was overthrown already.”
However, the Justice Ministry expressed reservations about the bill.
“The ruling military council has the final say in this issue,” said Assistant Justice Minister for Legislation Omar al-Sherif.
The ministry also expressed reservations on requests to amend Article 28 of the Constitutional Declaration and try Mubarak on charges of treason.
“This requires a referendum,” Sherif explained.
“Mubarak is being tried for killing demonstrators and selling gas cheaply,” he added. “These are charges of treason, and so he cannot be tried for the same charge twice.”
MP Mamdouh Ismail said that if amending the article needs a referendum, then the military council should, by the same token, be dissolved. “The Constitutional Declaration did not say the council should rule,” he said.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
