Egypt’s interim-government will postpone dissolving the Muslim Brotherhood until all litigation measures against members of the group are finalized, Minister of Social Solidarity Ahmed al-Boraie stated Tuesday. Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have shut down the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice newspaper in Cairo.

GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION

Egypt government postpones dissolution of Brotherhood
Egypt’s interim-government will postpone dissolving the Muslim Brotherhood until all litigation measures against members of the group are finalized, Minister of Social Solidarity Ahmed al-Boraie stated Tuesday. Boraie added that his ministry is forming a committee to manage the property of the Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile, the ban has continued to elicit responses from Egypt’s political spectrum. Deputy head of Watan Party Yousry Hammad accused secular political forces of using the judiciary to intimidate Islamists and exclude them. Salafi Front spokesperson Khaled Saeed commented on the speed at which the verdict was issued, adding that under former president Mohamed Morsi, “No ruling was issued disbanding a political entity.” Wafd Party secretary general Fouad Badrawy said the verdict was expected and came in accordance with the law because the Brotherhood deviated away from its role. Head of the Egyptian Socialist Party Ahmed Bahaa Eddin Shaaban said the verdict was “historic” and timely. Strong Egypt Party leader Mohamed Othman said the ban decision was political but unrealistic because the Brotherhood’s funds are not under its [formal] name in banks and thus could not be seized. Deputy head of the Democratic Front Party Hamdy al-Fakharany said the verdict would lead to the dissolution of the FJP as well because the party would then be accused of having ties to militias. Refaat al-Saeed, leader of the Tagammu Party which filed the claim demanding the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the verdict crowned the Tagammu Party’s efforts of over thirty-five years to ban political activities on religious basis. Heba Yassin, spokesperson for the Popular Current Party, welcomed the verdict but added that it is insufficient and needs to be followed by work on the ground to eliminate the origins of extremist thought in society.  [Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, Mada Masr, 9/24/2013]

Solidarity Ministry concludes NGO draft law
Minister of Solidarity Ahmed al-Boraie announced that a draft law on non-governmental associations will be made public tomorrow. A legal committee formed by Boraie for this purpose composed the draft. Privately owned daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported Wednesday that committee members differ on the issue of foreign funding. Lawyer Khaled Ali and director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) Bahey Eddin Hassan proposed that NGOs should be able to receive and spend foreign funding without being required to report to an Egyptian administrative body. Lawyer Negad al-Boraiei and Ezz Eddin Farghal, head of the Federation of Civil Society Organizations, opposed the proposal. Farghal told Al-Masry Al-Youm that he and others opposed “absolute freedom” being given in terms of NGO funding. [Egypt Independent, Mada Masr, 9/25/2013]

Also of Interest:
Al-Muslimany meet representatives of Egypt’s Diaspora | Shorouk (Arabic), Ahram Gate
Social Democratic and Adl Parties to merge | Mada Masr
“We will not ally with the Brotherhood or the Army”: The Way of the Revolution Front | DNE

COURTS & CONSTITUTION

Debate continues over new constitution; Moussa says primary draft ready next week
Sameh Ashour confirmed that the constituent assembly is calling on the president to amend his July 8 decree, allowing the committee to draft an entirely new constitution rather than amend the 2012 constitution. He said, “We are already writing a new constitution, and there is no room for reviving the dead.” Mohamed Salmawy, committee spokesman, said on Tuesday that the committee has already completed discussions on about half of the articles, while committee head, Amr Moussa, says that the primary constitution draft will be available next week. Meanwhile, interim President Adly Mansour appointed Youssef Dagger on Tuesday to the committee as a representative of farmers’ syndicates, after his predecessor Mohamed Abdel-Kader died a few days ago. Contradicting earlier statements made by Salah Abdel Ma’aboud, Mohamed Ibrahim Mansour, the Salafi-led Nour Party’s representative said his party will not withdraw from the process even if its reform proposals are rejected. Regarding amendments, Amr al-Shobaky said that a combination of individual and list systems is being considered for the electoral system, adding that disagreements have continued over the allotment. Salmawy also announced Tuesday that the “articles relating to the president have been completed and will be sent to the wording sub-committee in preparation for presentation before the general committee.” The No to Military Trials for Civilians group expressed contentment Tuesday following a meeting with the committee, while Salmawy said that the committee is, in fact, leaning towards abolishing military trials for civilians in the constitution. Finally, regarding the formation of political parties, the committee agrees that no parties can be formed on a religious, anti-democratic, discriminatory, or military basis. [EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic), Ahram Gate (Arabic), Tahrir (Arabic) ,SIS, Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, AMAY (Arabic), DNE, Ahram Online, 9/25/2013]

Ahmed Mekki summoned to Court; Salah Sultan handed detention order
Judge Magdy Hussein issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for former Minister of Justice Ahmed Mekki, summoning him to court. The summoning is to testify in the lawsuit filed against twenty-two judges who oversaw the parliamentary elections held in 2005. The plaintiffs allege the elections were rigged. Mekki was summoned to court for the case, but failed to show up without giving any reasons for his absence, which caused Hussein to issue the arrest warrant, reported Al-Ahram. Meanwhile, the prosecution ordered the detention of Muslim Brotherhood figure Salah Sultan for fifteen days pending investigations on charges of inciting to kill protesters and attempted murder, according to state-run Al-Ahram. [DNE, SIS, 9/24/2013]

Also of interest:
Egypt court sentences five Morsi supporters to jail | Aswat Masriya
Policemen sentenced to two months for torturing suspects | Aswat Masriya

ECONOMY

Private sector minimum wage negotiations to start next week  
Negotiations for private sector minimum wage will start next week with businessmen, associations and investors. The National Council for Wages announced on Tuesday the continuation of meetings held between labor representatives and employers to agree on a roadmap that will help determine the minimum wage, according to an official statement. The government set EGP 1200 as the minimum wage in the public sector last week. The decision was met with strong criticism as the figure is lower than expected. The Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (EFITU) has rejected the proposed minimum wage limit by the government, claiming it distinguishes between public and private sector workers in the country. [DNE, Egypt Independent, 9/24/2013]

Also of Interest:
Tourists visiting Egypt increased by thirteen percent: CAPMAS | EGYNews (Arabic), Ahram Gate (Arabic)
EGX 30 rises for the eighth consecutive day, gains EGP 1.9 billion | DNE, Egypt Independent, SIS
Banks lower its interest rates | AMAY (Arabic)  
CBE confirms Kuwait to deposit $2 billion aid to Egypt today | Zawya, SIS
Egypt’s entrepreneurs try to build a new tech hub amid unrest | The Atlantic

SOCIETY & MEDIA

August sectarian attacks largest in Egypt history: NGO
The recent attacks against Copts in Upper Egypt in the wake of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster were the largest in Egypt’s modern history, a report published by the Egyptian Centre for Public Policy Studies (ECPPS) stated. Over thirty churches, 122 shops, and fifty-one houses belonging to Coptic Christians destroyed during Upper Egypt sectarian attacks. While there have been many attacks against churches reported since Morsi’s removal from power on July 3, the most comprehensive wave of attacks was triggered by the dispersal of the two main pro-Morsi sit-ins’ in Cairo and Giza on August 14, which left hundreds dead and thousands injured.  [Ahram Online, 9/24/2013]

Also of Interest:
Students protest at Cairo University in support of armed forces | EGYNews (Arabic)
Fourteen out of 1100 trains back on track in Egypt from Saturday | Ahram Online
Brotherhood Supreme Guide fired from university job | Mada Masr
Clashes erupt at pro-Brotherhood protest in Alexandria | Ahram Online

SECURITY

Ministry of Interior adds 600 new officers to Central Security Forces
After two months of training, the Ministry of Interior approved 600 officers to join the Central Security Forces. According to the ministry, the new officers received training in law enforcement, dispersing riots, securing buildings, human rights, etc. in accordance with international regulations concerning these matters. [EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk, Tahrir (Arabic), 9/25/2013]  

Security forces shuts headquarters of Freedom and Justice Party newspaper
Egyptian authorities have shut down the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice newspaper in Cairo. The closure comes two days after a court ordered the group outlawed and its assets seized. Police stormed the building overnight and removed the contents. In a statement Wednesday, the newspaper’s journalists appealed to Egypt’s press syndicate to take action against the closure in Cairo’s Manial district, where the office is now sealed. The paper has, however, been issued from a secret location since the former president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster on July 3. [Shorouk (Arabic), Reuters, AP, Gulf News, 9/25/2013]

Also of Interest:
Nine more suspects arrested for Kerdasa violence | Egypt Independent
Stolen artifacts seized at Delga checkpoint | Egypt Independent
Drive-by shooting kills policeman on Egypt highway | Ahram Online

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

United States support will depend upon Egypt’s democratic progress: Obama
President Barack Obama says the United States hopes to maintain a constructive relationship with the interim government. Obama tells the United Nations General Assembly in New York that the United States will continue to offer to support to Egypt in areas such as education, which benefits the Egyptian people. But he says the United States has held up the delivery of certain military aid. And he says that future support, in his words, “will depend upon Egypt’s progress in pursuing a democratic path.” Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said that Obama’s speech before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday has shown that the United States will respect the will of the people in the region.Fahmy added that Obama’s speech is positive and objectively reflects the situation in Egypt. [AFP, AP, Egypt Independent, SIS, 9/25/2011]

Egypt warns Hamas over Sinai border
Egypt’s army says militants from Hamas-run Gaza have staged joint attacks with hardline Islamists in North Sinai. Egypt has warned of a military response if Hamas or other Palestinian groups try to violate Egyptian security. Meanwhile, Hamas is doing all it can to avoid a confrontation with Egypt’s army, experts say. While Hamas strongly condemned the Egyptian army after a sweeping crackdown on the Brotherhood, saying it had committed “terrible massacres,” they have since sought to downplay any tensions. Spokesman Fawzi Barhum insisted in remarks to AFP that “Gaza does not pose a threat to Egypt’s security and will not do so,” urging Egypt to “open Rafah permanently.” [Reuters, AFP, 9/24/2013]

Also of Interest:
Family of French national who died in Egyptian prison files complaint | Egypt Independent
Egypt is an Important country and we do not prefer party over other: Turkish ambassador in Cairo | EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic)
Germany alleviate warnings on travel to Egypt | EGYNews (Arabic)
Egypt to temporarily open Rafah border: Palestinian ambassador | Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, Aswat Masriya
Czech Republic, Holland and Belgium lift travel alerts on Egypt | Ahram Online, SIS
Egypt calls for pushing Israel to fulfill its obligations | SIS
Agriculture Minister: Talks with Ethiopia on Renaissance Dam continues | SIS
Soap boycott adds to trade slump as Egypt punishes Turkey | Bloomberg
EU hopes to see a political process in Egypt that every party is participating in: EU ambassador in Cairo | Shorouk (Arabic)