News: Brotherhood Looks for Presidential Candidate; Democratic Alliance Calls for Constitution Before Election
ByMara Revkin
A Brotherhood spokesman announced that the group is looking for a candidate to back in the presidential election expected in June. Meanwhile, an official in the FJP-led Democratic Alliance revealed that the alliance will propose a new initiative in the first session of the People’s Assembly to shorten the period for drafting Egypt’s constitution, to ensure that the new charter is ratified before the presidential election.
PROTESTS:
1) The April 6 Youth Movment and other activist groups have called for a mass rally on Friday, dubbed the “Friday of Restoring Honor,” to demand the military hold accountable soldiers responsible for abuses committed during the clashes, including violence against women. [al-Arabiya, English, 12/22/2011] [Al-Shorouk, Arabic, 12/22/2011]
2) Most of the 13 people killed in recent days of anti-military clashes in Cairo died of gunshot wounds, and one died in detention after suffering head trauma, Egypt’s chief forensic doctor reported on December 22. [The Daily News Egypt, English, 12/22/2011]
3) Military forces blocked al-Khalifa al-Maamoun Street to prevent an estimated 1,500 students from marching toward the Ministry of Defense. Student protesters denounced military rally and the ongoing violence in Cairo. [The Daily New Egypt, English, 12/22/2011]
SCAF/CABINET:
4) Major General Abdel Moneim Kato, an adviser to the Egyptian military’s Morale Affairs Department, claimed that the armed forces are entitled to fire live bullets at protesters under international law. [Al-Masry al-Youm, English, 12/22/2011]
5) In a new communiqué, the SCAF reiterated its warning against a malicious plot to “bring the country down” through continued sit-ins, protests, and the destruction of public property. The statement also underlined the people’s right to peacefully protest without damaging utilities or public property. [Al-Ahram, English, 12/22/2011]
6) Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri called for national dialogue to resolve the country’s political crisis and pleaded for a two-month calm to restore security. [Al-Masry al-Youm, English, 12/22/2011]
7) Minister of Planning Fayza Aboul Naga slammed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s statement on women’s rights as “shocking,” saying that Egyptian women are capable of defending themselves and do not need “foreign voices” to demand their rights for them. [Al-Ahram, English, 12/22/2011]
ELECTIONS:
8) A Brotherhood spokesman announced that the group is looking for a candidate to back in the presidential election expected in June, and will not support any of the currently declared candidates, including Abdel Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, who was expelled from the Brotherhood in April after he defined the group’s official prohibition on members running for the presidency. [Al-Ahram, English, 12/22/2011]
9) The High Electoral Commission expects to release the official results of run-offs from the second phase of parliamentary elections. [Al-Masry al-Youm, English, 12/22/2011]
CONSTITUTION:
10) An official in the FJP-led Democratic Alliance revealed that the alliance will propose a new initiative in the first session of the People’s Assembly to shorten the period for drafting Egypt’s constitution, to ensure that the new charter is ratified before the presidential election expected in June. Wahid Abdul Magid, coordinator of the Democratic Alliance, said that holding the presidential election before a new constitution is written represents a major threat to Egypt and could reverse the gains of the revolution by giving the president absolute powers. [al-Youm al-Saba’a, Arabic, 12/22/2011]
