Freedom and Justice Party Supports Peaceful Demonstration Rights

Freedom and Justice Party Supports Peaceful Demonstration Rights

 The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has denounced an attempt by certain Egyptian media outlets to tarnish the political image of the party’s MP Sobhi Saleh, claiming that he proposed a draft law to restrict the freedom to demonstrate and require prior approval from the Interior Ministry for any protest activity.


In fact, the FJP stressed that reports in some Egyptian media about MP Sobhi Saleh (FJP), Deputy of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the People’s Assembly, accusing him of submitting a bill to restrict the freedom to demonstrate, is totally false and completely unfounded.

Further, according to a statement by the FJP, the concerned Committee’s last meeting discussed the draft laws submitted by independent MP Mohamed Alomda, the Committee’s second Deputy; MP Ali Qatamish; General Adel Afifi; the National Council; and the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, which would restrict the right to demonstrate and stipulate obtaining prior authorization from the Ministry of the Interior for any demonstration activities. The FJP statement emphasized that MP Sobhi Saleh’s role was limited to compilation of these draft laws in his parliamentary capacity as the Committee Deputy.

Moreover, the statement made clear that the FJP and MP Sobhi Saleh had nothing to do with these laws, confirming that the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee immediately rejected the aforementioned proposals made by above-named MPs. The party asserted that it fully supports the right of peaceful protest and demonstration, and rejects any attempts to block citizens’ right of expression or the freedom to demonstrate in a peaceful manner.

For his part, MP Sobhi Saleh explained, "In my official capacity as Deputy of the Committee, I was entrusted with the collection of these proposals into a single bill, which was certainly not my bill or that of the FJP. Indeed, I had nothing to do with it, except for handling only as the Committee’s Deputy". He expressed shock and dismay at media outlets that depicted the situation as if he made the proposal himself, and then the same media – unscrupulous as ever – was quick to launch a vile attack on him and the FJP regarding the fabricated claim.

The draft laws in question, which were presented at meeting of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee included restriction of the freedom to protest and demonstrate, and required activists to seek and obtain permission in advance from the Ministry of Interior, at the same time giving the Ministry the right to refuse permission to demonstrate, which led to the refusal of these draft laws.