Know the legal consequences of designating on terrorist list

CAIRO – 17 May 2018: As part of Egypt’s efforts to fight terrorism, several figures of terrorist groups have been included on Egypt's terrorist list because of their attempts to incite chaos across the country. On Tuesday, elements of the Helwan Brigades case were re-designated as terrorists by the court over charges, including attempts to topple the regime as well as leading terrorist attacks.

The Court of Cassation upheld a verdict of designating 135 elements of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group in the Helwan Brigades case on the terror list. Egypt Today gives an overview on the process of designating terrorist members and groups.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi issued a new law in 2015 that gives a broad definition of terrorist entities and the sentences against them. According to the law on terrorist entities (law No. 8/2015), the general prosecution shall create a proscribed terrorist list which is referred to by the Egyptian court, and has the final say as to individuals’/groups’ designation as terrorists.

Firstly, the terrorist members are defined in the law as those who would commit attacks either inside or outside Egypt. Those members who are blacklisted in accordance with the law are “placed on travel ban lists, prevented from entering the country, have their travel passports withdrawn, are not allowed to have new travel passports, lose the stipulation of good reputation, and shall not be allowed to join Parliament or take charge of public posts." The designation decision can be appealed.

Secondly, the terrorist entities are defined as a group or individuals that "through any means inside or outside the country, seek to call for the disabling of laws, or prevent state institutions or public authorities from functioning, or seek to attack the personal liberty of citizens, or other freedoms and rights granted to citizens by the law and constitution, or seek to harm national unity or social peace."

The activities and meetings of the designated terrorist entities are banned; their headquarters are closed. Moreover, it's prohibited to finance or raise funds to the entity, whether directly or indirectly; their existing funds are frozen.

Egypt has designated the Muslim Brotherhood, the Sinai-based militant group, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, the Islamic State group, Palestinian Hamas's military wing and Al-Qassam Brigades as terrorist groups due to their violent acts, their attempts to incite chaos throughout the country and destabilize Egypt, and for claiming responsibility for a number of deadly attacks on security forces.

Most of the group’s members and leaders are either in prisons or have fled the country.

Additional reporting by Marina Gamil