Atlantic Council - Article
July 15, 2014
Another Assault on Civil Society in Egypt
... new and restrictive draft law to govern non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is once again on the table. The draft law, submitted by the Ministry of Social Solidarity in late June 2014, introduces a number of legal constraints that would make it extremely difficult for organizations to form and carry out their work. The Ministry’s draft law is clearly in violation of domestic and international laws that protect the right to freedom of association. Indeed, a coalition of 29 Egyptian organizations swiftly denounced the draft as “a flagrant breach of the constitution and Egypt’s international obligations.”
This draft bill is the latest in a series, as Egypt has been ostensibly trying to reform the law governing NGOs for a number of years. The current law was adopted under former President Hosni Mubarak and is already one of the most restrictive NGO laws in the world.
...
Civil society organizations seem like the next logical target. The latest NGO draft law appears designed to give the government legal means and discretion to suppress any organizations it feels threatened by, which, if history is any guide, are likely to be those that advocate for civil and political freedoms, or that monitor the state and seek to hold it accountable for human rights abuses, or that merely comprise members of the political opposition. But if passed, the draft law will inevitably have an inhibiting effect on the formation and activity of other groups as well. Adopted in its current form, the draft law will undoubtedly curb the development of civil society in Egypt, choking off a vital sector and moving the country even further off the democratic path.
FULL article - Atlantic Council Org - here.
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COMMENT
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WARNING! DANGER! WILL ROBINSON ...
Not really a surprising move on Egypt's part.
Obviously don't want their affairs meddled with.
Can't say I blame them, although it's a shame it will affect other organisations.
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