New Criminal Procedure Code to change travel ban procedures

CAIRO – 24 July 2017: The government proposed a draft law amending the Criminal Procedure Code Article No. 155 on travel bans and means of preventing persons on travel ban lists from disposing of their money.

According to Youm7, the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives will discuss in early August the legislative amendments of the code, which is seen as the most extensive in 47 years.

Article 155 provides that the general prosecutor, his authorized representative or the concerned investigating judge has the right to issue a decision preventing perpetrators from travelling outside the country or putting their names on airport waiting lists if there is enough evidence establishing that they are charged in a criminal or misdemeanor case that is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than one year.

The new travel ban procedures will be applied to some cases for investigation purposes or trial proceedings in order to ensure the application of verdicts on penalties that may entail a two-year punishment.

According to the draft, a person who is banned from traveling and is listed on airport waiting lists, or his agent, has the right to file a grievance before the criminal court within 15 days from the date of informing him that he is on the list. The court shall adjudicate the complaint within 15 days from the date it is informed of the grievance, after hearing the testimony of the complainant or his agent and the general prosecution.

The appeal may not be submitted again before three months of the refusal date of the first appeal.