An international human rights watchdog on Monday urged Egypt's new parliament to scrap laws dating from the Mubarak regime that curb freedoms and "shield" official abuse.
In a report released by the New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) outlining priority areas for legislative and institutional reform, HRW said that "Egypt's newly elected parliament should urgently reform the arsenal of laws used by the Mubarak government to restrict freedoms."
"These laws were used to curb free expression and criticism of government, limit association and assembly, detain people indefinitely without charge, and shield an abusive police force from accountability," HRW said in a statement.
The 46-page report, entitled "The Road Ahead: A Human Rights Agenda for Egypt's New Parliament," identifies nine laws that require urgent reform — including, the Penal Code, the Associations Law, Assembly Law, and Emergency Law. According to the NGO, these laws limit public freedoms necessary for a democratic transition, challenge respect for the rule of law, and prevent the police and military from being held accountable for abuse.
“A genuine transition in Egypt from authoritarian government to a more open system with democratic institutions not only requires reforms of democratic institutions and electoral procedures, but of laws and policies that govern the civil and political rights and freedoms of people in Egypt,” said the report.
Egypt has just wrapped up legislative elections in which Islamists won a crushing victory in the polls and are estimated to have clinched 70 percent of seats in parliament.
Media reports have speculated that Egypt’s de-facto leader, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, will cancel the hated Emergency Law during his speech to the opening session of parliament.
