Information secretariat of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) Ali Eddin Helal described sectarian strife in Egypt as a “catastrophe” on the al-Hayah al-Youm talk show Tuesday. Hehal hinted that the forces who seek to destroy Egyptian civilian life, as described by the official, may have foreign affiliation.
"It’s the responsibility of both society and state," Helal said. "Assume there’s governmental deficiency for any reason, where’s the civil society and other state institutions?”
Helal urged political parties to unite towards addressing sectarian incidents.
Helal also called for legislation to criminalize discrimination among Egyptians, emphasizing the political gains parliamentarians will reap as a result. Helal added that publishing offensive articles in the press represents abuse of speech rather than freedom of expression.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
