Egypt's draft anti-terrorism law "must be scrapped immediately or fundamentally revised," Amnesty International said on Wednesday, describing the proposed law as "draconian".
Amnesty's deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme, Said Boumedouha said in a statement that the law expands "authorities' powers and threatens the most fundamental rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association."
Boumedouha added that if approved, the proposed law will be another "tool" to "crush all forms of dissent."
The international watchdog's statement comes after mounting criticism against the law, as rights groups fear that it expands the definition of terrorism and that it will restrict press freedom.
Amnesty described the law as "repressive" and believes that in its current form, the law "grants sweeping powers" to the Egyptian president.
As per the anti-terrorism draft law the president may take the "necessary procedures to preserve security and public order" when there is a risk associated with terrorism.
These procedures may include evacuation, isolation or imposing a curfew on some regions, provided that the president's decision specifies the region and that the decision does not last for longer than six months.
Egypt's press syndicate has described the proposed law as containing "dangerous articles", which threaten the freedom of the press and 17 local civil society groups said "the proposed law makes us fear for the collapse of the state itself."
Article 33 of the draft law punishes by a minimum of two years in prison the publishing of "false news or data" which contradict official data on "terrorist operations".
Last week, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb said that when the draft law was approved by the cabinet, "no one had the intention to restrict freedom of the press and the media."
After talks between Mehleb and the head of the press syndicate one week ago, the syndicate agreed to send suggestions for amendments of the draft law to the cabinet.
The draft law was approved by the government on July 1 but still requires presidential approval before coming into effect.
The draft law's approval came on a day marred with deadly violence in North Sinai, after militants launched a failed attempt to take over a town, leaving 17 security personnel dead, according to military figures.
The approval also came one day after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vowed to amend laws, saying the hand of "prompt justice" is "tied" with laws, but "we will work on amending the law to achieve justice."
