Egypt Court Adjourns Case Against Protest Law To December 16th

An administrative court adjourned on Tuesday, a case to annul the protest law.

The case was filed by lawyer Tareq al-Awadi and backed by human rights advocate Khaled Ali.

The case has been adjourned to 16 December and will follow the supreme court’s decision on the constitutionality of the law.

The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights had disputed the constitutionality of articles eight and ten of the protest law, as addressed in Ali’s plea before the court today.

Ali emphasised the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the Egyptian constitution.

The protest law was drafted by the cabinet and issued in November 2013, by provisional president Adly Mansour, who held supreme legislative power at the time.

The law obliges protesters to apply for police permission at least three days prior to the date of protest and gives security the right to refuse and disperse those demonstrations which are not approved. The law also stipulates that violators of the law can serve time in state prisons.

A number of Egyptian citizens face trial on the grounds of the law while others have received sentences varying between six months and 15 years.

Source : Ahram online