FILE: Egyptian Parliament
CAIRO – 24 June 2018: The Egyptian Parliament, headed by Ali Abdel Aal, approved Sunday the extension of the state of emergency across the country for three months from July 14, 2018.
According to the Parliament’s decision, the Armed Forces and police shall maintain security throughout the country, protect public and private property and take the necessary measures to counter terrorism.
The Parliament also discussed several issues, including President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s decision to approve a loan between Egypt, the African Development Bank and the sustainable development project of Abu Rawash sewage treatment.
This is the fourth time the state of emergency is extended, which was first declared in April after twin church bombings in Tanta and Alexandria killed 40 people.
Bullet holes and blood stains at Helwan district’s Mar Mina church after Friday’s attack, December 29, 2017 – REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group claimed responsibility for the two explosions. Since then, Egypt has adopted amendments to the Criminal Procedures Act; the amendments focused on improving some regulations to allow courts to speedily judge and issue verdicts on terrorism-related cases.
President Sisi issued a decree to extend the state of emergency in Egypt already in place.
In October 2017, parliamentarian Ihab el-Kholy, member of the House of Representatives’ Legislation Committee, defended the decision to extend the state of emergency for three more months, saying that it supports going after terrorists, not citizens.
“The state of emergency was not extended to bother normal citizens,” Kholy told TV program “90 Minutes", adding that the law will allow security apparatuses to go through its fight against terrorism.
Kholy affirmed that citizens in Egypt are subject to civil laws aside from the Emergency Law, revealing that Egypt is defending humanity by its war against terrorism, which calls for stricter measures.
MP Ihab el-Kholy – File Photo
On Friday October 22, seventeen security officers were killed during clashes with militants in the Western Desert, Giza-Al Wahat Road.
Comments
Leave a Comment