Egypt’s terrorism law whittles down opposition
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a new decision regarding Egypt’s anti-terrorism law, running the risk of labeling most opposition groups and human rights organizations as terrorist entities.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Feb. 24 issued a new decision concerning Law No. 8 on “the organization of terrorist entities.”
The law consists of 10 articles. Article 1 defines a “terrorist entity” and a “terrorist person,” and tackles the source of money, financing and the freezing of funds belonging to terrorists. The other articles specify the authorities tasked with drawing up a list of terrorist entities and the parties entitled to appeal their listing.
The law defines terrorist entities as any association, organization, group, gang, cell or other grouping, which — de jure or de facto, through any means, inside or outside the country — seeks to call for the harming of individuals, the spread of terror or the endangering of the lives, freedoms, rights or security of the people. The law also prohibits the harming of the environment, natural materials, antiquities, communications, land, air or sea transportation, as well as the harming and seizure of public or private funds, buildings or properties. It also forbids the obstruction of public authorities, judicial agencies or bodies, government interests, local units, places of worship, hospitals, institutions, science institutes or other public facilities.
These clauses apply to the mentioned entities and people whenever they practice or try to carry out any of these acts, even when not targeting the Arab Republic of Egypt.
