Statement by Egypt’s Upper House After Holding Its Second Session in Rabaa Al-Adaweya Square

Egyptian lawmakers, members of the Shura Council (Upper House of Egyptian parliament), dissolved in the wake of the recent military coup, held a session in Rabaa Al-Adaweya square, at the end of which they issued the following statement to the Egyptian people:

We affirm that Egypt’s constitution is still valid, and that the Military Council (MC) cannot suspend a constitution endorsed by the Egyptian people in a free and fair referendum. We call on all the world’s parliaments to support the Egyptian people who lost their constitutional institutions as the MC staged a de facto coup d’état against their nascent democracy.

We reaffirm that the Shura Council is still valid, and that it cannot be dissolved by a military coup.

We further affirm that all actions and processes that followed the military coup, such as the constitutional declaration, are null and void. In fact, they are rebuilding a dictatorship. In addition, other repressive measures, such as gagging mouths and arbitrary arrests and detentions, show how dangerous the consequences of such a coup will be.

We also reaffirm our adherence to peaceful activities and call on the Egyptian people of all denominations to get around the single goal of ending military rule and repealing all illegal measures that resulted from the coup, like the removal of the elected President, suspending the Constitution, and disbanding the Shura Council.

We call upon all Egyptians to participate in peaceful protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, and all other events, so popular will can triumph and prevail.

What the Minister of Defense Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi committed is a de facto coup against democratic legitimacy, a blatant attack against the achievements of January 25, 2011 Revolution, and an attempt to reinstate the corrupt tyrannical pre-revolution regime.

We call on the Egyptian army and all faithful and patriotic citizens to beware of the imminent danger threatening our country because of the ruinous illegitimate military coup.

We offer our heartfelt consolation and sympathy to the families of those who were killed and injured in the massacres committed outside the Republican Guard Officers’ Club, in Al-Nahda Square, in Alexandria, and in other locations across Egypt.

We affirm that we will bring to justice all those responsible for such massacres locally and internationally. We will remain in continuous session in Rabaa Al-Adaweya Square; and we will make all necessary decisions and recommendations, to end the military coup, reinstate the legitimate elected President, and restore democratic civilian rule.

Egyptian Shura Council (Upper Chamber of Parliament)