Coup coalition party criticises new protest law

The deputy leader of Egypt’s Al-Nour Party has criticised the new protest law approved on Sunday by Interim President Adly Mansour. Tal’at Marzouq, the party’s legal advisor, said that the new law gives legal cover for an official crackdown on public demonstrations. Al-Nour Party is a partner in the coalition which backed the coup in July.

Noting the autocratic trend of the current authorities, Marzouq said: “This law ignores most of the suggestions made by political parties and NGOs, and does not meet the criteria of international law covering such matters.”

The new law requires three days’ prior notice for gatherings of more than ten people and grants the security services the right to ban any protests or public gatherings, including election-related meetings of political parties. Enormous fines and prison sentences may be passed on people or parties breaching its conditions.

Many human rights and political groups across Egypt have criticised the law. They point out that it is more repressive than the law during the rule of ousted President Hosni Mubarak.