Strong Egypt Party, headed by Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, former presidential hopeful and defected Muslim Brotherhood leader, denounced on Monday the newly-issued law that restricts protests.
In a press release, the party said it will “work, along with all political and social groups that believe in a democratic and modern country, on repealing the law through constitutional and legal methods as well as a peaceful struggle on streets to freely express our opinion.”
“By issuing the protest law, it was not surprising that the current ruling authority’s security vision wins,” the statement said. “It’s unelected regime that formed a government of mixtures between generals, [former president] Mubarak’s men and few ministers, whom we count as affiliated to democratic groups. They eventually issued law to ban protests rather than organizing them.”
On Sunday, the presidency issued a law organizing rights of public gatherings and peaceful protests, which is known in media as the “protest law.” It was issued in the official gazette on 24 November and included 25 articles.
Opponents of the law say that the law effectively bans protests as demonstrators must first request permission from the government in order to hold protests. In the law, the Interior Ministry also reserves the right to disband protests at any time if the government has deemed them to be violent.
The Strong Egypt Party added that it had frequently warned against issuing laws that “reduce freedoms of Egyptians and deprives from a right that is gained by January revolution, which is freedom of expression.”
It also warned that the current regime is taking steps toward fates of previous regimes through the narrow-minded and oppressive moves.
“What do you expect from people that you stopped its trains and were unable to provide it with decent livelihood and security?” the party statement asked, adding that it upholds democratic values that depend on peaceful protest and expression.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
