Rights group: Draft terrorism brand law a constitutional violation

The new draft law that broadens the branding of terrorist organizations is a violation of the constitution and international law, a rights group has argued. The law has been approved by the Cabinet and is now pending approval by the presidency.
 
The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) called upon President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi not to approve the draft law, which it said must be reviewed by the parliament after it is elected.
 
In late November, the Cabinet approved a draft law that broadens the scope of activities in the Penal Code that render entities as terrorist organizations and result in their dissolution. It stipulates that groups committing actions disrupting “public security” or “national unity” are to be considered terrorist entities, phrases which the CIHRS dubbed as too broadly worded. For example, the draft law states that actions such as blocking traffic and impeding activity in state institutions and utilities, can qualify an organization as a terrorist entity.
 
Rights advocates have voiced fears that the draft, coupled with the law on protests, would embolden the government’s crackdown on activism under the pretext of combating terrorism.
 
CIHRS said the government was using its declared war on terror as a pretext to pass laws that wreak havoc on freedoms and give leeway to continuous security failures in face of terrorist attacks. The center argued that the government’s earlier decisions to brand groups, such as the Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, as terrorist has not succeeded in forcing them stop their attacks.
 
It said that the broad interpretation of the crimes stated in the draft gives authorities the sole power to interpret them, thus leaving the door open for the persecution of political opponents and civil rights advocates.
 
It added that criminalizing the blocking of traffic as a terrorist action could extend to include peaceful forms of protest.
 
The center concluded with recommendations to review the draft in accordance with international law so as not to equalize between peaceful protest movements and serious terrorist groups