CAIRO - Egypt's rights groups, legal experts as well as revolutionaries, who led protests against former President Hosni Mubarak, Thursday rejected the Government's approval of a draft law to criminalise protests. "This law that punish protesters by jailing and hefty fine is an indication that real democracy is still a far-reached aim. It contradicts the revolution, which erupted against injustice," read a statement by the Revolution's Youth Coalition on the social networking website Facebook. The draft allows authorities to slap a prison sentence, or a heavy fine of LE500.000 on those holding protests, sit-ins, or gatherings that would disrupt work in public or private establishments or vandalise property. Minister of Justice Mohamed Abdel Aziz el-Guindi has said that the law, which needs to be endorsed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces before it comes into effect, "would be a temporary just like the curfew". "This will never be applied except in emergency cases in order to confront the counter-revolution," said el-Guindi. Human rights groups also criticised the proposed law as a new “curb on public freedom” that could lead to a setback in the society hoping to change to democracy. "The suffering of Egyptians for long years could never be tackled through punishments and depriving them of their rights," read a statement by the Association of Legal Human Rights Help, a non-governmental group. The statement urged Primer Minister Essam Sharaf to review the law, otherwise “the people could have another say in his Cabinet”. Egyptian Authorities have repeatedly complained that continued protests would hamper efforts to get the country working at full capacity ��" after a near paralysis during the 18-day uprising that overthrew Mubarak.
