Former Vice President of the Court of Cassation Ahmed Mekky said the amendment to the political rights law that aims to bar former regime figures from running for office would not apply to former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa. The amendment was recently approved by the People’s Assembly.
The military council asked the Supreme Constitutional Court to rule on the constitutionality of the amendment after it was passed by the Islamist-dominated Parliament earlier this month.
The amendment would strip anyone who served as vice president or prime minister during the ten year period leading up to Mubarak’s resignation on 11 February 2011 of their political rights. It would also apply to individuals who served as president or secretary general of the National Democratic Party or held membership in the party’s general or policy secretariats.
Moussa was foreign minister from 1991 until 2001, when he became the secretary general of the Arab League. He held that post until 2011.
The Supreme Constitutional Court will rule on the amendment within 15 days, Mekky said during a phone interview with Al-Hayat satellite channel Thursday, adding that if the court rules in favor of the amendment, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq will be disqualified from the presidential race.
Supreme Constitutional Court member Maher al-Beheri said that he and court head Farouk Sultan will not take part in ruling on the amendment as they are members of the Presidential Elections Commission.
This article is an edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
