Top News: Two Killed as Morsi Supporters Mark Raba’a Anniversary Dispersal

Egyptian security forces firing tear gas quashed small, scattered demonstratons on Thursday by Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi who tried to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of hundreds of protesters.

POLITICS

Egypt’s legislative reform committee holds first meeting
A supreme legislative reform committee held its first meeting Thursday, led by Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, state news agency MENA said. Mahlab announced that the committee will begin its work by focusing on economic reform and that the first law to be examined will be Egypt’s investment law. Mahlab also said that laws relating to national security will be of top priority for the committee. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Minister of Transitional Justice Ibrahim al-Henedy said that the committee will also focus on anti-terrorism laws. He added that Egypt’s cabinet has approved the committee’s budget and that the committee will meet twice a week, while sub-committees will form separate schedules. The committee was formed by a presidential decree in June to prepare, research and study the needed decisions and draft laws that should be issued to comply with the country’s new constitution, which was passed in January 2014. [Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic), Ahram Gateway (Arabic), 8/14/2014]

Also of Interest:

  • Cabinet approves anti-genocide draft law | Aswat Masriya, Al-Ahram (Arabic)
  • Head of Free Egyptians Party: June 30 saved Egypt from sectarian strife and religious war | Ahram Gateway (Arabic)
  • Strong Egypt Party: Egypt needs a unified justice system | Ahram Gateway (Arabic)
  • Political forces renew call for transitional justice and national reconciliation on Raba’a anniversary | Ahram Gateway (Arabic)

COURTS

Nour party leader calls Mubarak defense a farce
Dr. Younis Makhyoun, President of the Nour Party, called the defense of deposed President Hosni Mubarak a farce and a provocation. Makhyoun said that Mubarak and his aides sucked the blood of the Egyptian people, crushed the dignity of Egyptians, and committed crimes amounting to high treason. “[Mubarak and his cronies] left Egypt in debt and a ​​subsidiary of Israel,” he said.  “These criminals defend themselves today, as if they were the keepers of the Egyptian people… but they are the reason behind the state of the country.” Makhyoun added that Mubarak and his supporters should have been tried in revolutionary courts following the initial uprising, claiming that evidence against them was downplayed and manipulated. [Ahram Gateway (Arabic), 8/13/2014]

Also of Interest:

  • Interview: Egypt has considerable problems in its penal institutions | DNE
  • Douma’s trial postponed to August 20 | Egypt Independent

ECONOMY

Egypt finance minister predicts wider budget deficit in 2014-2015
Egypt’s Finance Minister Hany Dimian has foreseen that budget deficit will rise in fiscal year 2014-15 as the budget does not assume any of the financial aid from overseas that has helped contain the gap this year. [CTVNews, 8/14/2014]

Also of Interest:

  • Suspension of gas supplies to Jordan and liquefaction factories leads to 75 percent decline in exports | DNE
  • MERIS: IMF lifeline still far on horizon for Egypt despite subsidy reforms | Cairo Post
  • Stimulus programs for charter flights reconsidered to encourage tourism: minister | DNE
  • Centamin says Egypt gold mine case could drag into 2015 | Reuters
  • Mamish: Consortium of Suez Canal project to be announced | SIS, Al-Ahram (Arabic)
  • Op-ed: Austerity measures won’t save Egyptian economy | Al Monitor
  • Minister of finance: Consultations with UAE to provide guarantee of international bonds | Shorouk (Arabic)

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Two killed as Morsi supporters mark Raba’a anniversary dispersal
Egyptian security forces firing tear gas quashed small, scattered demonstrations on Thursday by Islamist supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi who tried to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of hundreds of protesters. The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) said two people died Thursday in Giza‘s Mohandessin neighborhood. Ministry of Interior spokesman Hany Abdel Latif said “no deaths had occurred” so far. People have taken to protest in various parts throughout the country in response to calls by the National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL) for protests described by the Ministry of Interior as “not peaceful.” The FJP said on its official page that “revolutionaries” have blocked several roads, including major roads throughout the country. Protests in Maadi witnessed violent clashes, where Shorouk photojournalist Ahmed Abdel Gawad was detained. In Alexandria, security forces dispersed around two hundred pro-Morsi demonstrators, arresting at least six and injuring two. Six others were arrested for allegedly handing out leaflets calling for violent protests, a security source said. In Tanta, Gharbeya governorate security forces dispersed a pro-Morsi rally using teargas. Meanwhile, security forces have intensified their presence around the capital in anticipation of protests by Morsi supporters. Clashes between Morsi supporters and security forces also broke out in Mattareya, while police dispersed a female march in Minya. Assiut declared a security alert as police intensified their presence in anticipation of the protests, while security forces intensified their presence in Matrouh as well. State run EGYNews reported that Brotherhood protesters set fire to a cafe in Beni Suef. Meanwhile, the April 6 Youth Movement released a statement in which it said that, while it disagrees with the demands of the Raba’a sit-in protesters, it defends their “right to live.” The group also called on the government to hold the perpetrators of the Raba’a massacre accountable. Finally, TV host Wael al-Ibrashy called on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to make 14 August, which marks the dispersal of Rabaa al-Adaweya and Nahda sit-ins, a ‘day of celebration.’ [Ahram Online, AP, DNE, 8/14/2014]

Human Rights Watch report lacks objectivity: June 30 fact finding committee
Egypt’s June 30 fact finding committee criticized the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Raba’a report on Wednesday, saying it ignored “crucial” events. The committee said that the HRW report only covers the Raba’a and Nahda dispersals as well as the Republican Guard violence, while it has omitted commentary on facts that are equally important, specifically citing the attacks on Christians and their churches and property, violence in universities, and the attacks on police stations. The committee also asserted that it is more objective and has a deeper understanding of the situation than HRW. It added that it will “objectively” evaluate the information included in the HRW report by virtue of being the “most impartial” and the “keenest” party on not issuing verdicts “prematurely” while investigations are still on going. Meanwhile, Journalist Maged Atef accused HRW of manipulating his testimony in the report while the group Tamarod called the report neutral. Meanwhile, the secretary-general of the Egyptian Social Democratic party criticized the report and demanded more objectivity. [Mada Masr, EGYNews (Arabic), Ahram Gateway (Arabic), Al-Ahram (Arabic), 8/13/2014]

Also of Interest:

  • ElBaradei silent on Raba’a dispersal anniversary | Ahram Gateway (Arabic)
  • Beblawi: Everyone at fault for Raba’a should be tried | Mada Masr, DNE
  • New bus service links Cairo with satellite cities | Ahram Online
  • A year behind bars: Mahmoud ‘Shawkan’ Abou Zied | DNE
  • Egypt’s history education ‘hyper-nationalistic’: EIPR study | DNE
  • Mufti: Peaceful demonstration is a genuine right | SIS
  • HR group slams restrictive laws on publishing | Mada Masr
  • Aswan governor announces establishment of 12 new schools | EGYNews (Arabic)
  • NCHR president: Police state is over, will not return | Shorouk (Arabic)

SECURITY

Police sergeant shot dead near Cairo
A police sergeant, Faiz Mohammad Ramadan, was shot dead and one person was wounded on Thursday when unknown assailants fired at them in Cairo’s southern suburb of Helwan, a security source told Aswat Masriya. A source from the interior ministry said unidentified suspects fired gunshots at the sergeant’s private car on Thursday morning. Forensic reports revealed that the sergeant was killed by three shots to his left side. The motive for the attack remains unconfirmed. [Ahram Online, Mada Masr, EGYNews (Arabic), 8/14/2014]

One child killed and two wounded in Sinai rocket attack
One child was killed and two others were wounded when a rocket landed on their home in the Egyptian town of al-Mattallah south of Rafah, security and medical sources told Reuters on Wednesday. Sara Salama, 13, died while her brother Khaled, 8, and sister Rahaf, 2, sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital. The rocket impact is the third to hit the area in recent weeks, security sources said, adding that Egyptian authorities were investigating the incident. Meanwhile, Egypt’s army spokesman Mohamed Samir said Wednesday that two militants were killed in a fire exchange with security forces in North Sinai and a total of 37 suspects were arrested across Egypt’s governorates of North Sinai, Ismailia, Sharqiya, and Daqahliya. [Reuters, Aswat Masriya (Arabic), Ahram Gateway (Arabic), 8/13/2014]

Also of Interest:

  • Assassination lists of Sinai chieftains found in Rafah | Egypt Independent
  • Security measures tightened on buses: Governor | Egypt Independent
  • Security tightened at Red Sea ports | EGYNews (Arabic)
  • Child injured in IED explosion in Fayoum | EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic)

INTERNATIONAL

Obama renews support for Egypt’s Gaza mediation, ceasefire extension holds
President Barack Obama late Wednesday discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ongoing negotiations mediated by Egypt to reach common ground for a ceasefire, according to a statement issued by the White House. Obama renewed his support for Egyptian efforts to achieve a “sustainable ceasefire agreement,” said the statement. Meanwhile, Palestinian and Israeli delegations, talking through Egyptian mediators in Cairo, were locked in talks on Wednesday night as the end of a 72-hour ceasefire approached. The delegations agreed to extend the Gaza truce by five days minutes before the earlier ceasefire was set to expire, a Palestinian official said in Cairo. The Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement that the ceasefire was extended to provide more time to continue ongoing indirect negotiations taking place in Cairo to reach a “lasting and comprehensive peace agreement”. Despite a rocky start, the truce held, fanning cautious optimism of progress in the indirect negotiations underway in Cairo. In addition, senior Palestinian officials told AP that Egypt presented a plan to gradually lift the Israeli siege of Gaza and postpone outstanding issues. [Ahram Online, AP, SIS, The Guardian, Ahram Gateway (Arabic), 8/13/2014]

Also of Interest:

  • Egypt-Sudan border crossing to open in next few days: Ministry | Ahram Online
  • Trade Minister promises quantum leap in economic relations with Sudan | SIS
  • Russian ambassador to Cairo: Putin receives invitation to Egypt from Sisi | Al-Ahram (Arabic)