Egypt: Court says dissolution of parliament is binding

Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi's order to reconvene parliament has been rejected by the country's highest court, which says its decision to dissolve the assembly is binding. Following Morsi's decree, the speaker of the dissolved house had called for the MPs to meet on Tuesday 10 July.

Morsi, whose Muslim Brotherhood won most seats, says the parliament should function until a new election is held. During a meeting on Monday 9 July, however, the country's Supreme Constitutional Court said its rulings and decisions were "final and not subject to appeal".

Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) – whose original decision to dissolve the parliament was backed by the court – met in an emergency meeting following the issue of the presidential decree on Sunday.

Despite rumours of tensions, Morsi and SCAF's Leader Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi appeared together at a military cadet graduation ceremony. Last month, SCAF enforced a court order dissolving parliament because party members had contested seats reserved for independents.

The military took power last year, after the revolution that ended former president Hosni Mubarak's 30 year reign. Over the course of the last couple months, the army has become increasingly unpopular, with many accusing its leaders of wanting to hold on to power indefinitely.

Morsi, who won the country's first free presidential election last month, was handed power on 30 June. In his presidential decree, Morsi said new parliamentary elections would be held 60 days after the constitution had been agreed by referendum.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Egypt: President Morsi promises a new Egypt

The newly elected President Mohamed Morsi took the oath of office on Saturday, promising “a new Egypt and a second republic” in which the popular-will will be respected and the government will serve the people. “Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundations for a dignified life, complete freedom and a real democracy,” he declared.

He was obliged to take his oath before 18 judges at the Supreme Constitutional Court, the same body that had ordered the dissolution of the parliament of his peers before whom he had expected to take the oath. If he felt uncomfortable he did not show it.

But the previous day he had made clear his real views when he addressed the tumult in Tahrir Square, when he asserted that it was the people who were the fount of power, not the army, not the Supreme Constitutional Court. “The ministers, the government, the army, the police, all are listening to me when I say no power is above this power, no power is above you. You are the rulers. You are the source of this power and authority.”

It was an act of defiance towards the generals but equally he might be held hostage to his declaration. He won just over half the votes of just over half the electorate who cast their ballots. The majority of the people who he said were the source of his legitimacy did not vote for him.

The swearing in of the new president is the most significant single step in the transfer of power, even if the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) re-asserted control over the affairs of the state after the dissolution of parliament. SCAF will exercise power to pass laws in the absence of parliament. It has also revived a long-dormant National Defence Council, dominated by officers, to oversee the military.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

Egypt's military courts have tried at least 43 children over the past year

Egypt's military courts have investigated or tried at least 43 children over the past year, according to Human Rights Watch, including the pending trial of 13 year-old Ahmed Hamdy Abdel Aziz in connection with the Port Said football riots. Children prosecuted in military courts have not had access to lawyers, and often to their families, until after military authorities have investigated and sentenced them, HRW said. It added that since coming to power in February 2011, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has referred over 12,000 civilians for prosecution by military courts before military judges “though these courts fail to meet minimum due process standards.”

A 13 year-old boy was shot in the back and killed and scores injured in Port Said during protests against the decision to suspend the city's Al-Masry club for two seasons as punishment for its part in the orchestrated violence that killed 74 people in a match against Al-Ahly of Cairo in February. Angry Al-Masry supporters blocked roads and burned tyres near the Suez Canal Authority, and police fired teargas and live rounds to disperse the crowds.

For their part, Al-Ahly have said the sanction is too lenient. They have said they will boycott the League until further notice. The current season was suspended in any case in the wake of the disaster. The chief prosecutor has charged 75 people with murder or negligence over the violence, and the city's police chief was sacked.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

Egypt: Constitution to be drafted before presidential elections

Further details have emerged about last year's talks between the military rulers and political parties, including the Islamists and liberals, about the timing of the presidential election. Should it be after the drafting of a new constitution or before? According to the Islamist lawyer and presidential hopeful Mohamed Selim El-Awa, who confirmed the meetings took place on 22nd November, it was agreed that the constitution will be drafted first and the presidential elections be held later.

There is logic in this. How can an Egyptian president be elected before a constitution is drawn up to define his powers and responsibilities?

The secularists fear, however, that those who will draw up the constitution will seek to introduce a greater Islamisation of legal code. Last month a group of activists put forward a proposal to bring the presidential elections forward to the end of March.

El-Awa, who is related by marriage to a member of the ruling army council, said that Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) had been represented by the army chief of staff Sami Anan, who in effect is the number two in the hierarchy. He met representatives of the FJP, Al Nour, Al Wasat, the liberal Al Wafd and the Democratic Front party.

For its part, the advisory council, which was appointed by the military council, argued that a consensus has to be reached by all parties before the holding of presidential elections. Given the starkly opposing positions it is hard to see how such a consensus can be reached. Instead, the Islamists, with the greatest share of the popular vote, and the military, with the firepower, are in agreement.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

SCAF defends its tactics in Copt protest crackdown

Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has denied that the army opened fire on protesters during Sunday's clashes between Copts and troops in Cairo. SCAF also denied that the army drove military vehicles into crowds, and showed footage of an armoured personnel carrier swerving around protesters.

It is estimated that around 25 people died during the clashes, the most violent since the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak in February. The confrontations ensued when Copts took to the streets in protest over an attack on a church in southern Egypt. It is not yet clear how many people of those killed were Copts but according to Egyptian officials three soldiers were among the dead. Many others were injured.

A member of SCAF Gen Mahmoud Hegazy said: "The armed forces would never and have never opened fire on the people.” Speaking about the video footage of an army vehicle from the scene of the clashes, he stressed that "there has not been a case of rolling over people with vehicles". Hegazy added: “They are trying to avoid running into protesters, not rolling over them." He also pointed out that the video proved that soldiers were being attacked by protesters armed with guns and rocks.

The handling of Sunday's unrest has resulted in a lot criticism directed at the army. The Copts, who make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's 85 million population, have a number of grievances against the interim administration, namely that it is not doing enough to protect them.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, WSJ

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Clashes in Egypt leave 24 dead

Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharaf has called for peace after 24 people were killed during clashes between Coptic Christians and security forces, which escalated into riots.

The confrontations occurred in Cairo after an attack on a church in Aswan province last week. It is reported that Muslims joined in the clashed, fighting for both sides.

Sharaf called an emergency cabinet meeting today. There is immense pressure on ministers and on the country's military rulers to give assurances about national harmony. Sharaf said discord between Muslims and Christians in Egypt was "a threat to the country's security".

Sharaf toured the area where the clashes transpired and later in a televised address said: “The most serious threat to the country's security is tampering with national unity, and the stirring of discord between Muslim and Christian sons of Egypt."

He added that violence of this nature, the worst since former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February, was "tampering with the relationship between the people and the army".

Egyptian TV showed footage of protesters clashing with security forces as army vehicles burned outside the state TV building where protesters had originally planned a sit-in. There were also reports that vehicles were burning outside the Coptic hospital, where many of the wounded were taken.

Sectarian tensions have increased in recent months. The Copts, who make up about 10 per cent of the population, accuse the military of being too tolerant of religiously prompted attacks.

Thousands of people both Christian and Muslim joined the initial march from the Shubra district of northern Cairo to the state TV building in Maspero Square. They were calling on the military council to sack the governor of Aswan province.

The violence erupted outside the state TV building but soon spread to Tahrir Square, where the demonstrations against Mubarak's regime began. According to a number of reports thousands took to the streets hurling stones at one another. It is thought that Muslims joined in the protests to defend Christians who were being attacked by men in plain clothes who are thought to have been security officials.

Some people have been calling for the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to hand over power and for its chairman Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi to resign.

Egypt's health ministry said that at least 24 people had been killed and 212 had been wounded in the violence. Ministry spokesman Hisham Shiha told the BBC that of them at least 86 were security forces.

Sources: BBC News, The Independent, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

SCAF to hand over power at the right time

Head of Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi has said that the army has no interest in remaining in power but will not hand over to a civilian authority until the time is right. Tantawi, who is also the country's defence minister, assumed his current position on 11th February after the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak. Speaking on 5th October, Tantawi said: "We will not abandon Egypt before we finish what we pledged to do and committed ourselves to before the people. The military council has no interest in staying [in power] for a long time. Given the chance, the military council will step down tomorrow."

He also dismissed speculations that SCAF would nominate its own candidate for elections. He said: "These are rumours that are not worthy of stopping to consider, and neither should we spend time talking about them.”

Tantawi's remarks come four days after his number two and chief of the general staff, Gen Sami Anan, met representatives of different political parties to discuss the timescale for handover of power. In the timeframe he outlined, there would be no presidential elections until the end of next year at the earliest. Anan also said that SCAF was not “seeking to prolong the transitional period. It is committed to a clear and precise timetable to transfer power after the election of a president”.

According to the discussed plan, once elected the People's Assembly would meet in late March or early April to choose a 100-member committee to draft a new constitution. The committee would have six months to conclude its work and the document would then be put to a popular vote by referendum. The adoption of a new constitution, delineating the powers of the executive, would then open the way for presidential elections. But this would not happen until the end of 2012 at the earliest.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Egypt: Two high-ranking officials charged with corruption

Egypt's former information minister Anas al-Fekky has been sentence to seven years in prison for misappropriation of public funds. The court sentenced al-Fekky on charges of deliberately misusing funds from state run radio and television union.

The former head of state TV, Osama el-Sheikh, was also sentence to five years on the same charges. The two officials, the latest to be sentenced, were found guilty of paying inflated prices for television soap operas.

Al-Fekky was a member of cabinet under former president Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted in February after months of popular protests calling for his departure. Earlier this month, al-Fekky was cleared of separate corruption charges.

The uprising in Egypt was inspired by the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia. The unrest was further fuelled by the nation's disgruntlement about lack of political and social freedoms, poverty, dearth of employment opportunities and institutional corruption. The latter will be a test for the interim Egyptian authority, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

Along with his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, Mubarak is being charged with "premeditated murder" of protesters during the height of the unrest. The former president, who is thought to be unwell, denies the charges. If found guilty, however, he could face the death penalty. Mubarak and his family is also being questioned over charges of illegally profiting during his three decade reign.

Sources: BCC News, Reuters, AP

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Egypt: Opposition supporters have vowed to continue protesting

Following two days of violent clashes, Egyptian opposition supporters have vowed to continue protesting. According to the country's Health Ministry, several hundred people were injured during confrontations with the army and groups of unidentified men in civilian clothes.

The protesters have continued demonstrating since Hosni Mubarak stepped down in February, about the slow pace of political and social change. Speculation is rife that the clashes were orchestrated by the military but the army continues to deny any such doing.

Some of the demonstrators have already returned to Tahrir Square in the centre of Cairo, despite being heavily injured. Most incurred injury when unidentified men in plain clothes attacked marches from the square to the defence ministry, where the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) is based.

The protesters continue to be defiant, and the clashes last week mark a new turning point in the confrontation between the opposition and SCAF, who continues to have trouble appealing to ordinary Egyptians.

Sources: BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

Political developments in Egypt are slow

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has said the elections for both houses of parliament will be held in November. SCAF is justifying what appears to be a two month postponement by saying that it was always the intention to start the procedures for the elections in September to allow for campaigning before the actual vote.

Most political figures have welcomed the delay as it will give nascent parties more time to organise themselves. The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has not raised any objections.

Sources close to SCAF say that it is considering delaying the presidential election until after the new constitution has been approved. That would happen once the Constituent Assembly, to be appointed by the new parliament, has drawn up the constitution and had it approved in a referendum.

SCAF remains publicly committed to sticking with the original timetable, which would see the vote for the president taking place about two months after parliamentary elections. Many politicians, however, have argued that it would not be right to elect a president on the old constitution, which gives the holder almost unrestricted powers, when the new constitution is likely to transfer many of these to parliament.

SCAF is consulting leading political figures about the drawing up of a document that will incorporate the principles for the new constitution. It also appears to be encouraging Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) in proposing drafts for the constitution. The idea is that the Constituent Assembly can then get to work more quickly.

For more news and expert analysis about Egypt, please see Egypt Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates