The Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP) announced on Monday that its leader Emad Gad will not attend the investigation held by the Shura Council, to which he was summoned by the council's national security committee. Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) leader Saad Omara accused Gad of attempting to topple the regime, create chaos, and obtain support from foreign forces. Omara claimed Gad told the European Parliament in May 2012 that Copts are oppressed in Egypt and requested military intervention in Egypt to assist Copts. Gad denied making such statements. The ESDP said it was working on securing the minutes from Gad's speech at the European Parliament. They also vowed to take the legal procedures necessary to punish those who took part in the “crime” of spreading false news. The party stated that the Shura Council's summons was unprecedented in the history of modern states. They stated that the separation of powers dictates that legislative authorities such as the Shura Council are tasked with monitoring the government and issuing laws, while it is the judicial authorities' responsibility to hold investigations. Constitutional expert and Cairo University law professor Ra'fat Fouda stated that the Shura Council is not an investigative authority. “It is within the council's jurisdiction to form fact-finding committees,” Fouda said. “And if such committees necessitate it, the council can hold an investigation. But citizens are not obliged by law to attend such investigations. If the results of the fact-finding committee's investigation leave the Shura Council suspicious, it can refer its report to prosecution for legal investigation.” The ESDP stated that Gad will not “succumb to such fascist practices aimed at terrorising the political opposition and public figures”. Omara's accusations were based on a report submitted by Mohamed Al-Sadat and Abbass Mekheimar, heads of the human rights committee and the national security committee in the previous Peoples' Assembly. The People's Assembly was dissolved in June 2012 after a court ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court declaring one third of the assembly unconstitutional. Neither Gad nor Omara could be reached for comment.
