The European Parliament has called on Egypt “to release immediately with no condition” all political detainees, including members of the Muslim Brotherhood. In a statement issued on Wednesday the European Parliament expressed its concerns about the “restrictions” imposed in Egypt on fundamental human rights, citing concerns about freedom of expression, the right to assembly, restrictions on NGOs, and political pluralism.
POLITICS
Egyptian cabinet approves amendment to lower age of legal adulthood to eighteen
Egypt’s cabinet has approved a suggested amendment to the child law which lowers the official age of majority from twenty-one to eighteen, in accordance with the 2014 constitution. The amendment will affect court verdicts against those over eighteen and less than twenty-one years old isolating them from children under eighteen. Minors in Egypt serve sentences for violating the law in juvenile institutions rather than in adult prisons. [Ahram Online, 1/15/2015]
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COURTS
Jailed Jazeera journalist urges Canada to press for his release after Cairo talks
Canadian-Egyptian journalist, Mohamed Fahmy, who is jailed in Egypt on terror-related charges, said he hoped the Canadian government can press Egyptian authorities to secure his release. “I understand that the ability of the Canadian government to help me is limited by the rules of diplomacy. But I do believe that Prime Minister Harper could do more to obtain my release if he were to directly intervene in our case,” Fahmy said in statement released by his counsels Amal Clooney and Lorne Waldman on Thursday. His comments came shortly after Canada’s Foreign Minister John Baird discussed the case with his Egyptian counterpart during talks in Cairo. [Ahram Online, 1/16/2015]
Also of Interest
- Trial of twenty-one charged with attacking Helwan police station postponed to February 5 | EGYNews (Arabic)
ECONOMY
Egypt’s central bank cuts key interest rates
Egypt’s central bank made a surprise 50 basis-point cut in its main interest rates, saying that plummeting global oil prices had eased inflation risks while economic growth was rebounding. The central bank’s monetary policy committee reduced deposit and lending rates to 8.75 and 9.75 percent, respectively. [Reuters, Ahram Online, 1/15/2015]
Also of Interest
- Egypt’s economic reform ‘impressive’ but more political steps needed: UK minister | Ahram Online
- Yemen, Egypt and Saudi Arabia discuss trade and development cooperation | SABA
- Egypt’s real GDP up 6.8 percent in first quarter | Reuters
SOCIETY & MEDIA
Egyptian rights NGOs say government targets its workers with travel bans
Egyptian human rights groups have condemned travel bans imposed on local rights activists, several of whom found out about their legal status when attempting to travel. The groups included the Cairo Institute for Human Rights, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, the Arab Network for Human Rights Information, the Egyptian Centre for Public Policy Studies, the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights, the New Woman Foundation and the Arab Organization for Penal Reform. The NGOs demand “the immediate lifting of these decisions, and the halting of the maltreatment of human rights defenders and abuses against NGOs and those who work in them.” Among those facing a travel ban are the head of the Egyptian Democratic Institute Hossam al-Din Aly and his deputy Ahmed Ghoneim, and political activist Esraa Abdel-Fattah. [Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, 1/15/2015]
Ministry of Endowments warns of January 25 ‘schemes’
The Egyptian Ministry of Endowments warned of “sinful schemes” by “terrorist groups” ahead of the fourth anniversary of the January 25 Revolution, in a statement it released on Friday. The statement warned particularly against the Muslim Brotherhood, which it claimed “works with all its strength to destabilize the country, implementing schemes to destroy the nation”, adding that the group is working in the interests of the “Zionist enemy.” [DNE, 1/16/2015]
Also of Interest
- Morsi loyalists organize five marches in Kafr al-Sheikh | Shorouk
- 99 percent of Egyptian women have suffered some form of sexual harassment, UN report reveals| Egypt Independent
SECURITY
Small bomb, bus attack leave no injuries in Alexandria
Unknown assailants set alight a public bus in Alexandria on Friday several hours after an improvised bomb exploded elsewhere in the coastal city, in both cases causing no injuries. Assailants threw Molotov cocktails at a public bus in the heart of the city, causing damage and interrupting traffic in surrounding areas, a local security official said. Meanwhile, an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted inside a car that was parked outside the San Stefano police station, Alexandria Security Chief Amin Ezz said. [Ahram Online, 1/16/2015]
Also of Interest
- Militant leader urges Jihad, or holy war, in Egypt | AP
- Bomb attack near Helwan church leaves no injuries | EGYNews (Arabic)
INTERNATIONAL
EU parliament calls on Egypt to release political detainees; Egypt hits back
The European Parliament has called on Egypt “to release immediately with no condition” all political detainees, including members of the Muslim Brotherhood. In a statement issued on Wednesday the European Parliament expressed its concerns about the “restrictions” imposed in Egypt on fundamental human rights, citing concerns about freedom of expression, the right to assembly, restrictions on NGOs, and political pluralism. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday hit back at the statement, saying that the call to release political detainees was based on “allegations, inaccuracies and misinformation” that reflect a lack of awareness of the situation in Egypt. The Democratic Generation Party and the Copts Alliance also issued statement denouncing the EU’s criticisms. [Ahram Online, 1/16/2015]
Also of Interest
- Egypt tells Security Council Israeli Occupation fuels extremism in the region | EGYNews, Shorouk (Arabic)
- UN calls on Egypt to open Rafah border crossing to Palestinians: Sky News Arabia | Ahram Online
- Egypt and Kenya to form bilateral business council | Ahram Online