Journalists, Dissenters Targets of Egypt's Draconian 'Anti-Terror' Law
President Abdel Fattah al Sisi, who already rules by decree, further tightens grip on power with sweeping new legislation
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday officially signed into law sweeping new "anti-terrorism" legislation that dramatically expands his powers to impose the death penalty, crackdown on dissent, and stamp out journalism that the government deems to be "false."
The law was passed over widespread opposition, including protests from the Egyptian Press Syndicate, whose members say the legislation threatens what's left of free media in the country. Al Sisi, who already rules by decree amid a suspended parliament, fast-tracked the rule following the late-June killing of state prosecutor Hisham Barakat in a car bombing and a subsequent wave of violence in the North Sinai Peninsula.
The legislation allows authorities to impose the death penalty for anyone the government deems to be leading a "terrorist" group and increases the power of officials to arrest and interrogate suspects. It also buffers Egyptian authorities, including soldiers and police officers, from legal consequences for using force.
One article gives the president the authority, pending approval from the non-active parliament, to impose curfews and isolation on areas of the country for up to six months.
The law also bans journalists from providing information about militant attacks that diverge from the government account, under penalty of steep fines. In addition, while not mentioning journalism, the rule allows the courts to "prevent the convicted from practicing the profession for no more than one year if the crime violates the profession's principles."
At least 18 journalists are already incarcerated in Egypt on charges that include "broadcasting false information," according to Amnesty International.
The rule follows another law passed in February that grants the government broad powers to break up protests. It comes amid an escalating crisis of government killings, torture, and jailing of its critics. Friday was the second anniversary of a massacre in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square in which Egyptian security forces killed up to 1,000 sit-in protesters. Al Sisi was in charge of the army at the time, and no one has been held accountable for the mass killing.
"One of the key reasons the Egyptian people took to the streets in 2011 was to abolish the 30-year-long state of emergency imposed by Hosni Mubarak," declared Said Boumedouha, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International, in a statement released ahead of the legislation's passage. "Granting the current President similar absolute powers is a deadly blow to human rights in Egypt."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently pledged that Egypt's human rights abuses will not get in the way of increased aid, arms, and military "cooperation."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday officially signed into law sweeping new "anti-terrorism" legislation that dramatically expands his powers to impose the death penalty, crackdown on dissent, and stamp out journalism that the government deems to be "false."
The law was passed over widespread opposition, including protests from the Egyptian Press Syndicate, whose members say the legislation threatens what's left of free media in the country. Al Sisi, who already rules by decree amid a suspended parliament, fast-tracked the rule following the late-June killing of state prosecutor Hisham Barakat in a car bombing and a subsequent wave of violence in the North Sinai Peninsula.
The legislation allows authorities to impose the death penalty for anyone the government deems to be leading a "terrorist" group and increases the power of officials to arrest and interrogate suspects. It also buffers Egyptian authorities, including soldiers and police officers, from legal consequences for using force.
One article gives the president the authority, pending approval from the non-active parliament, to impose curfews and isolation on areas of the country for up to six months.
The law also bans journalists from providing information about militant attacks that diverge from the government account, under penalty of steep fines. In addition, while not mentioning journalism, the rule allows the courts to "prevent the convicted from practicing the profession for no more than one year if the crime violates the profession's principles."
At least 18 journalists are already incarcerated in Egypt on charges that include "broadcasting false information," according to Amnesty International.
The rule follows another law passed in February that grants the government broad powers to break up protests. It comes amid an escalating crisis of government killings, torture, and jailing of its critics. Friday was the second anniversary of a massacre in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square in which Egyptian security forces killed up to 1,000 sit-in protesters. Al Sisi was in charge of the army at the time, and no one has been held accountable for the mass killing.
"One of the key reasons the Egyptian people took to the streets in 2011 was to abolish the 30-year-long state of emergency imposed by Hosni Mubarak," declared Said Boumedouha, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International, in a statement released ahead of the legislation's passage. "Granting the current President similar absolute powers is a deadly blow to human rights in Egypt."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently pledged that Egypt's human rights abuses will not get in the way of increased aid, arms, and military "cooperation."
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday officially signed into law sweeping new "anti-terrorism" legislation that dramatically expands his powers to impose the death penalty, crackdown on dissent, and stamp out journalism that the government deems to be "false."
The law was passed over widespread opposition, including protests from the Egyptian Press Syndicate, whose members say the legislation threatens what's left of free media in the country. Al Sisi, who already rules by decree amid a suspended parliament, fast-tracked the rule following the late-June killing of state prosecutor Hisham Barakat in a car bombing and a subsequent wave of violence in the North Sinai Peninsula.
The legislation allows authorities to impose the death penalty for anyone the government deems to be leading a "terrorist" group and increases the power of officials to arrest and interrogate suspects. It also buffers Egyptian authorities, including soldiers and police officers, from legal consequences for using force.
One article gives the president the authority, pending approval from the non-active parliament, to impose curfews and isolation on areas of the country for up to six months.
The law also bans journalists from providing information about militant attacks that diverge from the government account, under penalty of steep fines. In addition, while not mentioning journalism, the rule allows the courts to "prevent the convicted from practicing the profession for no more than one year if the crime violates the profession's principles."
At least 18 journalists are already incarcerated in Egypt on charges that include "broadcasting false information," according to Amnesty International.
The rule follows another law passed in February that grants the government broad powers to break up protests. It comes amid an escalating crisis of government killings, torture, and jailing of its critics. Friday was the second anniversary of a massacre in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square in which Egyptian security forces killed up to 1,000 sit-in protesters. Al Sisi was in charge of the army at the time, and no one has been held accountable for the mass killing.
"One of the key reasons the Egyptian people took to the streets in 2011 was to abolish the 30-year-long state of emergency imposed by Hosni Mubarak," declared Said Boumedouha, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International, in a statement released ahead of the legislation's passage. "Granting the current President similar absolute powers is a deadly blow to human rights in Egypt."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently pledged that Egypt's human rights abuses will not get in the way of increased aid, arms, and military "cooperation."