CAIRO: The People's Assembly (PA) approved Monday the government's request to extend the emergency law for two years, and while human rights activists were not surprised, they were furious that the majority voted in favor of the decision. The PA's attributed the decision to the fact that the anti-terrorism law set to replace the current emergency law has not been finalized. "We are not surprised but we're still dismayed by the decision to extend this state of exception in the constitutional provision for two more years, said Hossam Bahgat, chairman of the Egyptian Initiative of Personal Rights. "The president promised in his campaign in the 2005 presidential elections that the emergency law will be lifted. We believe that the Egyptian people deserve an explanation and an apology for the failure to fulfill this promise, he added. In his address to the PA, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif pledged that the emergency law would only be used to fight drug dealers and threats to national security. "The government has previously said the same thing when the emergency law was reviewed before - that it will only be used on terrorists and drug dealers - but then you find an innocent young girl [Esraa Abdel Fattah] and others detained on April 6 under the emergency law, said Wael Abbas, human rights activist renowned for his blog misrdigital.com. In addition, he added, the fact that Nazif said the emergency law will be used to fight "anything that threatens national security is an umbrella underneath which anything can fit. " Threat to national security is a relative term, how did [Ibrahim] Eissa or the Muslim Brotherhood threaten national security, said Aida Seif El Dawla, human rights activist. "On top of everything else, it's a lie that they will only use it for that. The police and national security will use it, without any limitations, in order to maintain the stability they want and against anything that poses any threat to it, she added. As military trials, police torture and the extensive detention of citizens continue to make headlines, activists don't see the state of emergency coming to an end anytime soon. "You have a police state here. It's repulsive how police officers use this law for humiliating citizens, blackmailing and demanding bribes, said Abbas, "The whole thing is ridiculous. Members of the opposition also condemned the extension of the emergency law. "First of all, the emergency law conflicts with the Egyptian constitution and all other laws, said Mohamed Habib, deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. "Second, it gives the president absolute freedom, he added. "Third, it sanctifies the police state. Fourth, although they claim that it is only used in two cases, the truth is it is used on anyone who opposes the government or challenges the regime. "A nation under emergency law is a nation without freedom, he added.
