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New law restricts Egypt protests

November 24, 2013

Egypt's interim President Mansour has signed a new law that places restrictions on demonstrations in the country. The government says the law is to improve public safety, but opponents say it is too restrictive.

https://p.dw.com/p/1ANJx
epa03930066 An Egyptian anti-riot policeman stands guard as al-Azhar University students walk inside the campus after students backing ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi stormed the administrative offices, in Cairo, Egypt, 30 October 2013. Media reports state that al-Azhar University president had to ask for police intervention after students, believed to belong to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, stormed the administrative offices of a state-run university in Cairo and destroyed their contents. No casualties were reported. EPA/KHALED ELFIQI +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Reports from Egypt's state television broadcaster on Sunday said the country's interim president, Adly Mansour, signed a new law that regulates demonstrations and public gatherings.

"The decree organizes the right to hold public meetings, processions and peaceful demonstrations," the broadcaster reported.

Rights groups had encouraged Mansour to reject the law. A joint statement from 19 Egyptian organizations from Friday read, "the draft law seeks to criminalize all forms of peaceful assembly, including demonstrations and public meetings, and gives the state free hand to disperse peaceful gatherings by use of force."

As the announcement was made on state television about the law's passing, thousands of supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood were protesting in Cairo and in other cities. They were marking 100 days since a crackdown by government forces on supporters of ousted President Mohammad Morsi left hundreds dead.

Massive demonstrations in Egypt led former dictator Hosni Mubarak to be toppled from power in 2011. Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, also faced massive protests before he was removed from powerin July.

mz/dr (AP, Reuters)