CAIRO: Hundreds of protesters marched to Egypt's parliament building in Cairo on Monday as the first session of the country's newly elected lower house adjourns. Meanwhile, legislators inside have gotten off to a rocky start, bickering with one another amid high tensions. Activists organized the protests in order to demand that the country's interim ruling government, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) be held accountable for the crimes they have committed during their rule, since taking over power after popular uprisings ousted former President Hosni Mubarak last February. They have asked the parliament not to forget those who have been killed at the hands of the army rulers since they took power. They have also rallied to implore the newly elected body to represent the Egyptian citizen and the demands of the revolution, including the implementation of a national minimum wage and the release of all political prisoners. Protesters have demanded that the SCAF hand over power to a civilian-led authority on Wednesday, January 25, as it makes the one-year anniversary of the popular uprisings that ousted the former dictator. However, as it stands the SCAF does not plan to cede power until June, after presidential elections take place. Some of the newly elected legislators came to the first session today donning yellow slashes to show their solidarity with Egypt's “No Military Trials For Civilians” activist movement. The Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) holds the largest single majority of seats in the house, with roughly 43 percent of seats. Some see the Muslim Brotherhood as the single most powerful force against the country's military rulers. Some believe that the army will not cede power until they are granted a deal for legal amnesty and freedom from prosecution for the crimes they committed during their time governing Egypt. According to Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, Egypt's revolution has taken “a very disturbing turn” under military control. ”The Egyptian military seems at this point determined to try to carve out an exception to democratic rule for its area of power,” he said. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/QMiKS Tags: Egypt parliament, featured, SCAF Section: Egypt, Latest News
