Tens of thousands of mainly Islamist protesters rallied in Tahrir Square after Friday prayers for a demonstration under the slogan, “The only demand: Together against the remnants of the former regime.” The Brotherhood and Salafi Front had called for the protest. Islamist groups are dived on participation: While the Salafi-led Asala Party decided to join the demonstration, the Salafi-led Dawa movement, the Nour Party, and Sufi orders declined.  Despite sharing similar demands, major revolutionary and liberal groups – April 6, the Revolutionary Youth Coalition, and the Tagammu’ Party – are boycotting the protest and calling for a second demonstration on April 20 to demand the revision of Article 28 of the constitutional declaration (stating that the Supreme Presidential Election Commission is not subject to judicial oversight and is immune to appeal). The April 20 protest will also challenge the formation of the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly. 

PROTESTS: 

1) Tens of thousands of mainly Islamist protesters rallied in Tahrir Square after Friday prayers for a demonstration under the slogan, “The only demand: Together against the remnants of the former regime.” The Brotherhood and Salafi Front had called for the protest. Islamist groups are dived on participation: While the Salafi-led Asala Party decided to join the demonstration, the Salafi-led Dawa movement, the Nour Party, and Sufi orders declined.  Despite sharing similar demands, major revolutionary and liberal groups – April 6, the Revolutionary Youth Coalition, and the Tagammu’ Party – are boycotting the protest and calling for a second demonstration on April 20 to demand the revision of Article 28 of the constitutional declaration (stating that the Supreme Presidential Election Commission is not subject to judicial oversight and is immune to appeal). The April 20 protest will also challenge the formation of the Islamist-domination constituent assembly. [al-Ahram, English, 4/13/2012] [al-Ahram, English, 4/13/2012] [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/13/2012] [al-Shorouk, Arabic, 4/13/2012] 

ELECTIONS: 

2) On April 12, the People’s Assembly passed “disenfranchisement” legislation that would bar the candidacy of top officials in Mubarak’s regime and anyone who served as a prime minister in the decade prior to Mubarak’s removal from power. The legislation, if approved by the SCAF, would disqualify both Omar Suleiman and Ahmed Shafiq. In response, a member of the SCAF called the new law "a deviation" that unfairly targeted one or two people. [al-Ahram, English, 4/13/2012] [al-Shorouk, Arabic, 4/13/2012] 

3) The Administrative Court will consider on April 24 a lawsuit filed by presidential hopeful and MP Abul Ezz al-Hariri against Brotherhood candidate Khairat al-Shater, seeking the reversal of Shater’s pardon by the SCAF. Hariry has demanded that Shater be excluded from the presidential race under a law that bans pardoned prisoners from exercising their political rights for six years after being pardoned. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/13/2012] 

PARLIAMENT: 

4) The No Military Trials for Civilians group stated on April 13 that the proposed parliamentary amendments to the military judicial law are inadequate, as other articles exist that still allow military trials for civilians. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/13/2012] 

Photo Credit: Getty

Image: tahrirrally.jpg