Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi accused the military chief who deposed him of treason in a message from prison read by lawyers on Wednesday, saying the country cannot return to stability until the coup is reversed and those behind it are tried.
GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION
Morsi: No stability in Egypt unless coup reversed
Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi accused the military chief who deposed him of treason in a message from prison read by lawyers on Wednesday, saying the country cannot return to stability until the coup is reversed and those behind it are tried. “The kind Egyptian people should know that I have been kidnapped forcibly and against my will since July 2 and until July 5 in a Republican Guard house until I and my aide were moved again forcibly to a naval base belonging to the armed forces for four full months,” Morsi was quoted as saying. Morsi’s statement lay down a hard line, praising protesters for their “steadfastness” and vowing the coup would be reversed. “The coup has begun to fall apart and will topple in the face of the steadfastness of the Egyptian people,” he said in the statement. His lawyers stressed that they had taken notes from Morsi and articulated the message themselves. Meanwhile, Egypt Independent reports that Morsi has hired Selim al-Awa to represent him in court, according to security sources at Alexandria’s Borg al-Arab prison. Morsi’s next session is on January 8, when he will be tried for his role in the death of protesters outside the Ittehadiya presidential palace last December. [Ahram Online, AP, Reuters, Mada Masr, Egypt Independent, 11/13/2013]
Egypt’s Mansour to review protest law before issuing it: Presidency
Interim President Adly Mansour has received the government’s draft protest law for review, presidential spokesperson Ihab Bedawy announced on Tuesday. Badawy elaborated that the presidency received the draft law after it was amended by the government, and that the interim president would review the law’s contents before formally issuing it. The draft protest law was widely criticized by a number of domestic and international human rights organisations. [Ahram Online, DNE, SIS, 11/13/2013]
Army yet to receive orders to end curfew; US, UN and April 6 welcome end of state of emergency
Egypt’s government declared an end to its state of emergency Tuesday, after an Egyptian court ruled that the emergency decree issued August 14 had expired. The government had previously announced that it would end two days later, on Thursday. Military spokesman Colonel Ahmed Ali, however, said on Tuesday that the Egyptian army will continue to enforce the nightly curfew until it receives an official notification that a court has ordered an end to the state of emergency. Egypt’s April 6 Youth Movement welcomed the court decision, saying, “It will allow some of the economic and social issues that have beset us to be overcome.” The United States also welcomed the lifting of the state of emergency in Egypt. In a press briefing, state department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki, however, added, “We would also note that the government is considering other legislation regarding security. We urge the government to respect the rights of all Egyptians.” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also noted in his statement, “the heightened debate in Egypt on a draft law regulating protest” and stressed that “international human rights standards should form the basis of any new legislation.” [Ahram Online, AP, DNE, Cairo Post, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic), 11/13/2013]
Also of Interest:
Al-Jama’a al-Islamiya refuses strategic American or Russian buildings in Egypt | EGYNews (Arabic), Ahram Gate (Arabic)
NCHR to publish results of Raba’a, Nahda fact-finding committee | Cairo Post
Socialist People’s Alliance withdraws from electoral alliance with NSF | Cairo Post
Nour Party admits to making mistakes | Cairo Post
COURTS & CONSTITUTION
Former Brotherhood minister Bassem Ouda arrested in Egypt
Former minister of supply and internal trade, and Brotherhood member, Bassem Ouda was arrested in northern Egypt on Tuesday, Al-Ahram reports. Ouda was arrested by security forces at a soap factory in the town of Wadi al-Natroun, in the Beheira governorate. Ouda is accused of committing terrorist crimes, rallying, murder, attempted murder, displaying force and joining a gang which assaulted residents in al-Bahr al-Aazam Street on July 16. The prosecution ordered the imprisonment of Ouda for fifteen days pending investigations. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) denounced the arrest, describing Ouda as “the best supply minister in Egypt’s history,” adding that his arrest confirms that murderers and corrupt individuals are now walking free while “honorable people are imprisoned under the rule of the coup.” [Ahram Online, DNE, EGYNews (Arabic), AMAY (Arabic), Aswat Masriya (Arabic), AMAY (Arabic), Egypt Independent, 11/13/2013]
Top prosecutor refers thirty new complaints against Bassem Youssef for investigation
Public Prosecutor Hisham Barakat referred on Tuesday thirty reports that had been filed against satirist Bassem Youssef to Cairo Appeal Prosecution for investigation. Barakat also instructed Walid Fekry, head of the prosecution, to add the new reports to three previous reports on Youssef insulting armed forces, Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, some state figures and his description of the June 30 revolution as a ‘military coup.’ Mohamed Fathy, spokesman for al-Bernameg, told the Daily News Egypt that neither Youssef nor the show’s production team have been notified of the investigation by the prosecutor’s office. [Egypt Independent, Ahram Online, DNE, 11/12/2013]
Mubarak house arrest is over, claims lawyer
Hosni Mubarak’s period of house arrest expired with the end of the state of emergency, his lawyer has claimed – something Egypt’s interim authorities dispute. The former president, who was arrested in April 2011, is being retried for complicity in the killing of protesters during the popular revolt that swept him from power in January 2011. In August, a court ordered his release because he had served the maximum term of pre-trial detention. He was placed under house arrest at a military hospital as part of the state of emergency, which a court said should end on Tuesday. He is also facing trial in three corruption cases. Deeb told pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday that Mubarak will remain in Maadi military hospital to complete his treatment. Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawy told independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm last week that Mubarak would return to prison after the state of emergency ends as lawmakers had made amendments to a law regulating pre-trial detention periods. [Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, 11/13/2013]
Also of Interest:
Sobhy Saleh given four fresh days imprisonment pending investigation | EGYNews (Arabic), Tahrir (Arabic)
Eight students imprisoned fifteen days pending investigation for Zagazig University clashes | EGYNews (Arabic)
Muslim Brotherhood women arrested in Alexandria get fifteen fresh days imprisonment pending investigation | Shorouk (Arabic), Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Approving any quota in the constitution will turn Egypt into a new Lebanon: Nour Party | Shorouk (Arabic)
Fifty-member panel finishes articles on prosecution of president, PM, and ministers | Ahram Gate (Arabic)
Trial of policemen involved in killing thirty-six imprisoned Morsi supporters adjourned | DNE, Egypt Independent
Twenty new articles protecting freedoms in Egypt’s draft charter: Spokesperson | Ahram Online
Article banning fifty member committee from running in elections proposed | Cairo Post
Salmawy: Article number 219 will not return | Cairo Post
ECONOMY
Ministry of Electricity attempting to overcome energy challenges
The government is fighting energy smuggling through the distribution of smartcards in the first phase of its energy subsidies plan, Minister of Finance Ahmed Galal told the Daily News Egypt Monday, with the second phase of the plan to be implemented over several years. The energy shortage remains a recurring problem and an issue of concern for industrial companies as well as the public, however. [DNE, 11/12/2013]
Also of Interest:
Analysts optimistic despite 1.3 percent fall in EGX30 on Wednesday | Ahram Online
Local development plan must be completed by June 2014, Araby | Cairo Post
Real estate tax law is effective in industrial sector: Finance Minister | DNE
Cairo hosts Gulf-Egyptian Investment Forum on December 4 | SIS, Cairo Post
SOCIETY & MEDIA
Survey: 62 percent of Egyptians favor anti-terrorism act
A survey conducted by the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research, also known as Baseera, has revealed that 62 percent of Egyptians approve of an anti-terrorism act while 57 percent agree to another draft law dealing with political demonstrations. Baseera also issued a statement saying that 65 percent were aware of the anti-terrorism act. The survey was conducted between October 30-31, using a sample of 1,964 citizens aged eighteen and over. [Egypt Independent, 11/12/2013]
Also of Interest:
Pro-Sisi campaign to join Mohamed Mahmoud commemoration | Ahram Online
Egypt’s human rights council calls for testimonies on violent incidents | Ahram Online
A protest in front of Shura Council calls on a quota for women | AMAY (Arabic), Aswat Masriya (Arabic), Tahrir (Arabic), ONA (Arabic)
Poll labelling Egypt worst for women in Arab world is ‘misleading’: Activists | Ahram Online
Rise in crime, harassment key security threats facing Egyptian women: NGO | Ahram Online
Brotherhood students protest at Cairo University | Egypt Independent
Maher demands constitutional articles to judge president and ministers | Cairo Post
SECURITY
Egyptian army arrests “extremists” in Sinai
The Egyptian authorities arrested eleven “terrorists” on Wednesday during a security campaign in Northern Sinai, an army spokesman said. Two of the detained “militants” are Palestinian, according to Army Spokesman Ahmed Mohamed Ali. State media outlet EGYNews also reported that another seventeen were arrested, and two killed the Sinai areas of al-Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid. According to the armed forces, the militants were wanted on charges of carrying out attacks against military and police installations and security checkpoints. [Aswat Masriya, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic), 11/13/2013]
Also of Interest:
Police soldier killed and another one injured in an attack on police station in Arish | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Muslim Brotherhood figures meet EU envoy in closed-door meeting
A delegation of the National Alliance to Support Legitimacy met on Tuesday with EU Envoy to the Middle East Bernardino Leon to discuss the recent developments witnessed in Egypt, according to Egyptian daily Shorouk. According to an anonymous source, the meeting came at the request of Leon, after a similar meeting with state officials, including Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawy. According to the official website of Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Amr Darrag, a member of the party’s executive office, said that the European envoy expressed his keenness to hear from different parties in Egypt to assess the current situation in Egypt. Darrag said in a statement that he told the delegation that they refused any foreign interference in Egypt’s internal affairs. He added that they adopted the same message during their meeting with Catherine Ashton.[Cairo Post, Shorouk (Arabic), 11/13/2013]
Egypt expresses optimism over Russian ministers’ visit
Egypt’s foreign minister has said that the visit of the Russian foreign and defense ministers to Cairo is a positive message for Egypt and the region. “The presence of the defense and foreign ministers, both at the same time, in Cairo is an important political message that reflects care, appreciation and respect for Egypt and its history, and eagerness to participate in determining its future,” Fahmy said in an interview with Russia’s state-run Arabic language channel Russia Today on Tuesday, a day before the ministers are expected to arrive in Egypt. [Ahram Online, 11/13/2013]
Also of Interest:
Ban Ki-moon: Egypt is in need to a comprehensive political process for democratic transition | Shorouk (Arabic)
Abbas issues anti-Hamas statement on Egypt’s Sinai | Ahram Online
Image: Photo: Egypt Presidency