Egypt votes on extending 'emergency state'

MENA

Published: 2018-01-09 14:25

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 11:06


This is the third time the emergency state is renewed since April 2017
This is the third time the emergency state is renewed since April 2017

One week after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, had issued a decree to extend the state of emergency in Egypt, the parliament passed the extension on Tuesday, Egypt Independent reported.

Over two-thirds of the MPs voted in favor of the extension, according to Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal.

He added that he received the presidential decree on January 3.

The extension is to start on January 13, making it the third time that the emergency state is renewed since it was imposed on April 10.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a presidential decree last week extending the state of emergency across the country for a period of three months starting from 1 am on January 13.

Tanta and Alexandria witnessed terror attacks in April which resulted in the death of 45 people.

The emergency state was then renewed in July and later on in October.

On the other hand, local and international government dissents, think that the continuous renewal of the emergency state is used as a pretext to crackdown on freedoms, activists and independent media outlets.

The president has different rights under the state of emergency. These include, the right to restrict freedoms of movement and residency, monitor any communications, media outlets and publications, and the right to review any kinds of advertising before publishing.

The president also has the right to set dates for shops to close and open and even order evacuation or isolation of certain areas.

Not that only, but the emergency state allows the president to refer civilians to State Security Emergency Courts.