Busy Laws Day in Cairo : parties and protests !!

Ok today was a busy day in Cairo when it comes to the lawmaking process. I do not know from where to start , I will start from the good draft law and then move to the the bad draft law.

The good law is the new parties law which regulates the parties formation in Egypt , I find it very reasonable and here are the most important  articles in the law from the cabinet’s official website :

• The party's principles, targets, programmes, policies, or means of practicing activities shall not contradict the constitution's main principles or requirements to preserve the national security and the national unity, social peace and democratic system.
• The party's principles, programmes, activities, and selection of members shall not be based on the religious, geographical, or racial basis such as sex, origin, language, religion, religious belief.

• The notification and documents of the party shall be presented to the parties committee within 15 days of notification.
• The Committee shall be headed by first vice head of the Court of Cassation, and membership of two vice persons of the State Council in the Court of Appeal. “Bye Bye Safwat”
• The party's founders or deputes shall publish names of founders at their own expense in two daily newspapers widely spread within 8 days of notification date.
• The party will enjoy the legal personality and practice activities since the first day following 30 days of notification.
• The party is not allowed to accept any donations or benefit from foreign or international person or authority, and/or from legal personalities even if he holds the Egyptian nationality as well.

There are still articles in the laws regarding its announcements , its dissolution if it breaks the laws based on the supreme administrative court order’s decision.

Now the door is open and we should not waste in any debate , we got six months to have enough parties to compete on the seats of the parliament. Again the NO team in 2 weeks managed to have 22.8% all over the country. I am happy that the law is clear regarding the party’s principles will not based on religious or geographical or racial basis. There is not time to waste now.

There are many parties already waiting for this law like for instance :

• The MB’s Freedom and justice which is similar to AKP if I am not mistaken
• The Egyptian Communist party , the oldest underground communist party in Egypt since the 1920s.
• The Al Wasat Party 
• The Liberal party of Amr Hamzawy he was speaking about
• Mortada Mansour’s party which will be an extension to the NDP

This is the good news and strangely in the statement of the cabinet it was put before the new draft law of protests and strikes !!

The cabinet has finished from another draft law that criminalizes “some strikes , demonstrations and mob” according to the terms used in the official website of the Egyptian cabinet.

• Who make or participate in any demonstration or strike that lead to hindering of private or public authorities.
• Who incite, call or promote to the mentioned crimes.
• Taking the mentioned crimes while running of emergency case.
• Penalties includes; imprisonment and fines either both or one of them, and fines may reach EGP 500,000.

According to the decree “The cabinet reasserted the necessity of immediate stoppage of all demonstrations and strikes witnessed nationwide especially that the cabinet has received huge amount of legal demands and responded to them, and other demands are studied especially that the government is working to prepare a complete frame to deal with policies of employment and incomes. In this concern, the cabinet approved the draft law “

The law did not specify which strikes , demonstrations and mob he referred in the beginning , it is too vague and board and according even the political demonstrations will be criminalized as they can hinder public authorities.

Some will argue and say this law applies to factional demands and I will tell him this law can harm the GUC students which are having protests against the university’s administration , it can harm the Cairo university mass communication students who are having protests day and night to suck off the NDP dean. “They are under the attack of the military police and do not even ask why there is military police in the University campus but you can know for now that will not pass easily”  It can harm labor like the Tanta flex factory , it can harm the TV and radio employees who are protesting to remove the corrupted management at the famous ETRU building. It can harm any public protest against the mistreatment at any police station.

It is a myth that the factional protests are harming or derailing the democratic process in Egypt. Prior to January 25,do you remember when the street of the people’s assembly was like an avenue for sit ins !!? Life was normal and everything was great !!?

What will affect our economy and life negatively I am afraid is keeping those who have been destroying our life in the past 30 years free. What will affect our economy is this slow motion when it comes to corruption.

First of all according to the suspended constitution of 1971 we have the right to protest and to have a strike , second of all and this is more important according to the human rights and international labor rights treaties which Egypt signed protest and strike are human rights should not be criminalized or even touched. As far as I know the AFC made it clear that it respects international treaties Egypt signed and the international treaties are not only Camp David accords.

Nobody is speaking about the parties law now and is focusing on this board vague law because it is too dangerous.

By the way before anyone jumps in to the wagon and says that this law is issued because Yes won in the referendum , you must know whether we voted Yes or No , this law was prepared either ways.

Source at the official website of the Egyptian cabinet.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Egypt,Democracy,Economy,Egyptian Life,Parties,law,human rights,Media,National,Politics,Post revolution,Strikes,Protests