Members of Egypt's People's Assembly have warned against passing laws that could restrict the freedom to protest and stressed that some proposed bills on the subject are worse than those that were adopted under the toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
During a meeting for the assembly's Human Rights and Legislative committees, MPs were divided over plans to issue a law that regulates the right to demonstration and peaceful protest.
While some members backed the bill to counter the deteriorating security situation, others said approving the law would return Egypt to the former era, which they said witnessed assaults on freedoms.
Legislative Committee Chairman Mahmoud al-Khodeiry told the state-run news agency MENA that violations committed during protests in the past period cannot be accepted, adding that no violations were made during the 18-day January 2011 uprising against the former regime.
"We need that law to combat thuggery, not to restrict the revolution," he said.
The cabinet issued a law last March that criminalized protests and strikes. Under the new law, anyone organizing or calling for a protest can be sentenced to jail and/or a fine of LE500,000.
Human Rights Committee Chairman Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat denied the assembly is attempting to restrict the freedom to protest. But he said laws regulating that right date back to the British occupation of Egypt and need to be reviewed.
In 1914, Egypt issued a law called the Illegal Assembly. It orders "any gathering, defined as five or more persons, to disperse if so ordered by the authorities on the ground that the gathering poses a threat to public order."
Moreover, the Public Assembly Law 14/1923 "requires that persons wishing to hold a public demonstration must notify the authorities at least three days in advance and sets penalties for those who plan, organize or participate in an unannounced or unapproved demonstration."
MP Amr Hamzawy said the proposed bill aims to justify the Interior Ministry's security failure. He called for forming a committee that reviews draft laws submitted in that respect to compare them to internationally adopted laws. He also called for reviewing criminal laws and procedures in a way that does not infringe upon the freedom of protesting.
MP Saad Abboud said the laws proposed to regulate protests hinder freedoms even more than the laws under the former regime.
