An Egyptian woman has recorded a video criticising President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and questioning his leadership.
The recording comes in response to a planned bill, currently being considered by Egypt’s parliament, which aims to tighten the penalty for insulting the president.
The woman is seen saying this is an attempt “to stifle opposition of Al-Sisi” and to hinder the opposition. “Do you thing you are a prophet?” she asks the president.
On Monday, Kamal Amer, the Head of the Defence and National Security Committee in parliament, submitted a bill to amend the penal code regarding the insult of the president and statesmen.
The bill includes the alterations of the texts of articles 179 and 184 of the Penal Code. In the new legislation, article 179 states: “Anyone who has insulted the president will be imprisoned for a period of no less than 24 hours and no more than three years, or a fine of no less than 50,000 [Egyptian] pounds [$2,763] and no more than 100,000 [Egyptian] pounds [$5,526], or one of these two penalties.”
Article 184 states: “Anyone who humiliates or insults the parliament, any of the statutory bodies, the army, the courts, the authorities, the public interests or any figure of the Egyptian statesmen will be jailed or pay a fine of no less than 50,000 [Egyptian] pounds [$2,763] and no more than 100,000 [Egyptian] pounds [$5,526], or one of these two penalties.”
Activists believe this is an effort to reduce criticism and the humiliation that has befallen lawmakers at the hands of satirists.
As a result of the tightening of the laws, an Egyptian lady filmed a video asking Al-Sisi: “Do you want to lead the country without opponents? Do you want us to be silent .. Are you a Messenger of Allah and you can’t be wrong?”
You make mistakes, and personally I can’t see anything right about what you did. As an Egyptian citizen, I have the right to be an opponent and say to you: ‘What you are doing is wrong’ … I am free .. This right is prescribed in the Constitution that insures my right to express my opinion openly and to oppose you .. Everyone in this country can oppose you.
She went on: “You are not a Messenger of Allah .. You can be wrong .. You are a human being .. You are just a government .. You are an employee of the people, you must serve them and not do the opposite.”
She concluded by saying: “Wake up people, enough.”