Brotherhood MPs Lash out at New Anti-Terrorism Law

Egyptian government plans to issue a new anti-terrorism law to replace the emergency law imposed Egypt since current Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak assumed office in 1981 after assassination of former president Al Sadat .
 
President Hosni Mubarak laid down a new legislation to combat terrorism as a part of a package of several laws and legislative amendments which he presented in the election program. Some of these legislations were passed during the previous two legislative rounds.
 
For its part, Egyptian opposition has been staunchly fighting this law, saying it will impose more restrictions on opposition movement.
 
In a  statement to Ikhwanweb, Hussein Ibrahim said, deputy chief of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) parliamentary bloc, said, commenting on the new antiterrorism bill which is expected to be ratified in the People’s Assembly soon :
 
” They have agreed on amending article 197 without allowing us to know any information about this anti- terrorism. However, I strongly confirm that we, in Egypt , need no new anti- terrorism law. This was reiterated by even parliament speaker, Dr. Ahmed Fathi Sorour. Dr. Sorour said in lecture entitled (Legislative Confrontation with the Phenomenon of Terrorism on National and MidEast levels) that terrorism has been confronted, as a phenomenon, through the penal code and criminal law.
 
 
Ibrahim pointed out that Sorour’s recognitions were publicly delivered on April 1998 in a lecture in the opening session of the 3rd annual academic conference in the Faculty of Law, Cairo University . He delivered them in front of many eminent figures like Mofid Shehab, the then Minister of Education and scientific research, sheikh Sayed Tantawi, Dr. Ahmed Amin Hamza, University President, and many other figures, lawmen and councilors.”
 
” Egypt amended article 86 in 1992. These amendments were called at that time anti-terrorism amendments. When this amendment was made public and added to the Egyptian penal code, the Muslim Brotherhood along with human rights organizations staunchly opposed it. However, the Egyptian government insisted on the amendment, ” said Ibrahim.
 
“In the amendment of article 88 penal code, the lawmaker used a professional complementary style when it introduced the criminal punishment related to the presidential decree. Dr. Sorour justified this with this comment ” to avoid the evil of the terrorists  in the future”. With introducing these 1992’s amendments to the penal code and the criminal law, we have an anti-terrorism law.
 
Ibrahim raised his eyebrows, wondering:” The government is seemingly not satisfied with all previously tailored and ratified anti-terrorism laws. So, it is currently secretly tailoring one more anti-terrorism without informing any one. Every thing takes place in the dark as if this serious issue is solely related to the ruling National Democratic Party.”
 
Hussein Ibrahim attacked this bizarre action from the government, saying:” The government should deal with people with transparency, and should seek the participation of the People’s Assembly, civil society institutions and the National Council for Human Rights so that they can discuss this bill law.”
 
Regarding the Muslim Brotherhood’s expectations towards such a law, Ibrahim said:” nothing is promising as long as this bill law is cooked in secret.”
 
Ibrahim pointed out that the MB parliamentary bloc is holding workshops and discussions about this anti-terrorism bill.
 
Ibrahim demanded all political and social powers and institutions nationwide to work for preventing passing such a law that only adds more restrictions on the political work in Egypt .
 
The MNM leader said that every one must oppose these laws and all of us should take practical steps to prevent ratifying them. We are cooperating with civil society organizations and all people in general for reform and we welcome any one who wants to join us. We urge those who aren’t entrenched with us to express their opinions to prevent the government from passing such notorious bills.”