Sunday's papers are primarily concerned with the passage of new laws on discrimination and political corruption.
State-owned Al-Akhbar reports that under the new discrimination law, any discrimination on the basis of religion will carry a maximum penalty of three months in prison and a fine of up to LE100,000 if the offender is a public service employee. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has added Article 161 to the penal code (the article's number now occurs twice in the code), raising the financial penalty for any crime of discrimination on the basis of sect, gender, religion or belief.
Article 3 of the new discrimination law orders the decree to be published in Al-Akhbar and declares it will be a valid law from the date of publishing.
Al-Ahram writes this morning that the Treachery Law will be activated and a suggests the law will be applied to former members of the political committee and the general secretariat of the now-dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP).
As for other former NDP members, the Treachery Law will be applied if a legal complaint against them proves with strong evidence their previous involvement in corruption. The new law specifies the penalties that will be imposed on corruption crimes. Al-Ahram quotes a legal source as saying that investigations will start with a number of former officials and ministers, such as Fathi Sorour, Zakariya Azmy, Annas al-Fiqqi and Zoheir Garana.
Al-Wafd, on the other hand, leads by reporting the Egyptian revolution is refusing American dictates. Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr stated that changes to Egypt's laws regarding religion are made on Egypt's own accord and not due to US pressure. According to the paper, the minister made his comments in response to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent criticism of the SCAF and Egypt's current political situation.
On a different note, the newspaper runs a shocking and incredulous report regarding the deaths at Maspero on 9 October. Hadeel Ahmed Oweis reportedly killed her husband in their flat in Agouza with the help of her boyfriend, Mohsen Gamal, then put the body in the car until they reached Abdel Moneim Riyadh Square, where they placed the body among the protesters.
Independent Al-Shorouk leads with "Parliament candidacy application period extended for People’s Assembly and Shura Council until 22 October." According to High Elections Commission head Abdel Moez Ibrahim, "[The decision] is in support of the path to democracy." A number of political party heads had made an official request to the commission a week ago to extend the application period to allow them more time to prepare their lists.
The paper also reports that Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb will hold a meeting today with Pope Shenouda III as part of the "Family House," an initiative of religious leaders and intellectuals conceived of during Mubarak's rule that is currently attempting to resolve sectarian tensions. The meeting will discuss their final proposed amendments to a draft for a law regulating houses of worship. The amendments will then be sent to the SCAF and the cabinet for consideration.
Egypt's papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Youm7: Daily, privately owned
Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
