Amnesty International: Egypt betrays revolution with proposed draconian laws

Human rights organizations in Egypt face further restrictions to their work.

Two laws that would severely restrict the work of independent civil society organizations and limit freedom of assembly in Egypt should be significantly amended or dropped, Amnesty International said today as the country’s Upper House of parliament prepared to debate the proposed legislation.

Both proposals allow for the establishment of a powerful Co-ordinating Committee, enshrining the role of security forces in overseeing the work of international organizations and controlling both national and international organizations’ access to foreign funding.

“The Egyptian authorities are yet again trying to push through draconian legislation to stifle independent civil society and silence critical voices. Those same critical voices were instrumental in documenting Mubarak-era abuses and bringing about the ‘25 January Revolution’,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “President Mohamed Morsi’s administration must break with Mubarak-era tactics of smearing human rights NGOs in state-controlled media as foreign ‘spies’ and scapegoating them for all of society’s ills.”

A separate draft law on public protests, also under discussion in the Upper House of parliament, would place severe restrictions on freedom of assembly on grounds that include “security or public order; hampering citizens’ interests; blocking roads or transport; delaying traffic… or serious threats to the above.”

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-betrays-revolution-proposed-draconian-laws-2013-03-06

Got to go after those foreigners and those humans rights organizations.