Cairo security responds negatively to 6th April planned march

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said Sunday that the Head of Cairo security and interior minister assistant has sent a notice to ANHRI being the legal representative of 6th April Youth, informing them of the ministry disapproval of staging the peaceful march.

The march was planned by 6th April Youth, on April 6 noon, to start from Qasr AlAini street down to parliament house to deliver a message of refusal of extending emergency law to MPs.

Being the legal representatives of three of 6th April Youth: Omar Ibrahim, Ahmed Maher and Mohamed Adel, who had spent their entire lives under a state of emergency, lawyers of the legal aid unit for freedom of expression at the Arabic Network sent earlier last week a legal notice to Head of Cairo security to inform him of the youth intention to stage a peaceful march, on 6th April, starting from Tahrir Square, to Qasr AlAini street and down to parliament house to inform MPs of youth refusal of extending the state of emergency enforced on Egypt 29 years ago, for two more years.

However, Head of Cairo security responded to the Arabic Network notice with another notice or rather a warning saying, “In the context of the current security status and regarding the consequences that may occur if such marches are allowed to stage like disturbing public security in the capital, therefore, the warned are informed of our disapproval of organizing the march referring to security obligations. The warned bear full responsibility of any actions contrary to that“.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said, “6th April Youth have complied with the law and they have every right to stage this march, as the Head of Cairo security did not provide legal justification for his refusal. We will support their legal right, if they either insisted on the march or resorted to judiciary to compel interior ministry to respect the law as well as that we support their claim to compensation for any security harassment that they may endure if they decided to stage the peaceful march.”

The Constitution and the laws of Egypt, as well as international conventions ratified by the Egyptian government give the Egyptian citizens the right to organize marches and peaceful demonstrations to express their views and stances of any issue of their concern. It is prohibited that security authorities would deny them that right without a clear legal justified reason.

Republished with Permission from Bikya Masr