Students belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood rallied in several Egyptian cities on Tuesday against a recent court ruling allowing police back on campuses.
Egypt officials discuss preparations for presidential elections
Following the ratification of the presidential elections law, President Adly Mansour met with Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on Monday to discuss preparations for holding the presidential elections at embassies abroad for Egyptian expatriates. The head judge of Egypt’s state council, Farid Tanagho, told Al-Ahram that the constitution allows the president and the government to amend the new law. Presidential hopeful Hamdeen Sabbahi criticized the newly passed presidential elections law, expressing doubts about the integrity and fairness of the upcoming poll. Speaking at press conference Monday Sabahi added, “This is a real test for democracy, if we start this way, it will never stop.” [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, SIS, 3/11/2014]
Tamarod spokesman dismisses accusation of foreign funding
Tamarod spokesman Mohamed Nabawi denied allegations that Mahmoud Badr received foreign funds while co-founding the movement that helped unseat Mohamed Morsi. In a statement to Asharq al-Awsat new agency Nabawi defended the Tamarod movement saying it came from Egyptian streets and “efforts to distort it will not interfere with its message.” [EGYNews, Shorouk 3/11/2014]
Also of Interest:
Fifteen human rights organizations call on justice ministry open investigation in case of Alaa Abdel Fattah | Shorouk
COURTS
Badie trial over blocking Cairo-Alexandria road adjourned to March 19
An Egyptian Criminal Court adjourned the trial of forty-eight Muslim Brotherhood leaders including Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie to March 19 over charges of blocking the Cairo-Alexandria agricultural road, possessing arms, joining a terrorist group, damaging public property and assaulting police officers in July 2013, following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi. In related news, the trial of 119 Muslim Brotherhood members in Sohag charged with attacking Coptic houses of worship, illegal assembly, and using force to confront authorities began today. Before adjourning the case until May 10, the court decided to release four of the defendants. [Mada Masr, AMAY (Arabic) 3/11/2014]
Also of Interest:
Three Mansoura students given prison sentences for rioting | Egypt Independent
Egypt prosecutor releases 104 Brotherhood supporters | Aswat Masriya
ECONOMY
Huge housing deal may signal gulf investment push into Egypt
A $40 billion deal for Dubai firm Arabtec to build one million homes in Egypt may be the start of politically-inspired Gulf investment in the country’s failing infrastructure, from housing to transport, power generation and agriculture. Karim Awad, the co-chief executive of EFG-Hermes, Egypt’s biggest investment bank, predicts that more deals will follow impacting a variety of industries saying, “We’ll see similar deals in the coming period, whether it is in energy, oil and gas, roads.” [Reuters 3/11/2014]
Also of Interest:
UAE reaffirms support to Egypt roadmap | Gulf News
Jeddah Chamber of Commerce to invest EGP 2.5 billion in Egypt | DNE
Egypt’s constitution allows taxing Egyptians abroad: Tax authority | Egypt Independent
US government sponsors employment fair in Luxor | USAID
SOCIETY & MEDIA
Brotherhood students rally in Minya, Cairo and Alexandria
Students belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood rallied in several Egyptian cities on Tuesday against a recent court ruling allowing police back on campuses. In Minya, Brotherhood students also called for the release of detained students and professors, while students at Cairo’s Ain Shams University rallied in defiance of the university head’s ban on protests. In Alexandria, protests turned violent when university’s security guards attempted to prevent students from entering the Alexandria University campus, with clashes ensuing. According to an Aswat Masriya witness, the students set off fireworks outside the campus walls. [EGYNews, Tahrir, Aswat Masriya (Arabic), 3/11/2014]
SECURITY
Former army chief Sami Anan claims ‘terrorists’ attempted to assassinate him
Egypt’s former army chief of staff Sami Anan has said that he escaped an assassination attempt by unknown assailants late on Monday, but the interior ministry has denied it. According to Al-Ahram, Anan’s office released a statement saying that he survived the attempt unscathed, and is in good condition. Anan told London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat on Tuesday that his bodyguards recognized the attackers, whom he described as “terrorists,” and said that it is not the first time that he was targeted by such groups. Hany Abdel Latif, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, however, told privately owned satellite channel CBC that there was no evidence of such an attempt. [Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, 3/11/2014]
Four-man ‘terrorist cell’ charged with al-Qaeda collaboration; Police arrest fifth al-Qaeda affiliated ‘terrorist’
Egypt’s general prosecution has ordered the referral of what it described as a terrorist cell to criminal court on charges of collaborating with Al Qaeda. According to a statement by the prosecutor-general released on Monday, the four defendants accused of being members of the cell are Egyptians Amr Mohamed Abulela Aqida, Mohamed Abdel-Halim Hemida and Mohamed Mostafa Mohamed Ibrahim, and Daoud al-Asady, a Kurd whose nationality was not specified. The three Egyptians are in detention, while al-Asady is at large. The ministry of interior also released a statement Monday claiming the arrest of a “dangerous terrorist” involved in a Giza bombing that claimed the life of a civilian bystander. Street vendor and suspect in the case Mohamed Ahmed al-Taliawy, 35, has allegedly travelled to Syria and Libya to “engage in acts of terrorism and violence”, the statement said. [Ahram Online, DNE, 3/11/2014]
INTERNATIONAL
Egyptian representative to UN addresses human rights concerns
Egypt’s representative to the United Nations, Walid Mahmoud Abdel Nasser, told the United Nations Council for Human Rights Monday that Egypt is determined to protect human rights, citing the newly ratified constitution as proof of the country’s dedication to “building democratic institutions.” A statement released by the ministry of foreign affairs Monday reported Abdel Nasser’s comments to the council, which were largely in response to recently issued statements condemning what twenty-seven members of the council recently called “the restrictions on the rights to peaceful assembly” and security forces’ “disproportionate use of lethal force” against protesters. The ministry’s statement said that Abdel Nasser remarked that the constitution solidifies Egypt’s “protection of human rights within the framework of respect for rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.” [DNE, 3/11/2014]
Also of Interest:
Israel open to joint missile defense with Jordan, Egypt | Egypt Independent
We have no choice but keep good relations with Egypt: Hamas leader | Ahram Online
Arab foreign ministers discuss new counter-terrorism cooperation | Ahram Online