Al-Dostour Party announced Monday that participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections will be "difficult" amid the current security crackdown. The liberal party tweeted that its president Hala Shukrallah announced that this is the new stance of the party on the elections. Al-Dostour called in a separate statement on factions of the Democratic Current Coalition, which Al-Dostour is a part of, and different civil forces to agree on a joint view on continuing political participation. The announcement comes after the death of Socialist Popular Alliance Party member, Shaimaa Al-Sabbagh, during a peaceful march to commemorate fourth anniversary of the 25 January Revolution. Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat ordered policemen who were on duty during the violent dispersal of a limited march in downtown Cairo on Saturday, in which Al-Sabbagh was killed, to be called in for questioning. The Democratic Current Coalition includes Al-Dostour, Al-Karama, Al-Adl, and Socialist Popular Alliance parties. The upcoming parliamentary elections are scheduled on 21 March and it is considered the last remaining step of the roadmap announced following ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood regime in July 2013.
