CAIRO: Hundreds marched Sunday night from the Journalists’ Syndicate to the Cabinet building against a proposed bill criminalizing protests.
The Egyptian Independent Trade Unions Federation (EITUF) called for the march after the Cabinet approved a bill last week that penalized protests, sit-ins and strikes that hinder production or involve acts of violence. The draft law, which would only be enforced under a state of emergency, entails a prison sentence and a fine that could reach LE 500,000.
Hundreds of workers and activists chanted slogans against the government and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces demanding that they reject the bill.
"These protests that they are criminalizing brought the Cabinet and the military council and if they want to deny us this right we won’t accept it," said Kamal Abu Eita, head of the independent real-estate tax workers syndicate.
"Until they issue the independent syndicates law we will continue refusing this bill and will challenge it," he added.
Earlier on the day, Minister of Justice Mohamed Al-Gendy said that the proposed law was temporary and would end once the state of emergency ended. He stressed that the law would only punish those who commit acts of violence or hinder production or work.
"We believe in everyone’s right to protest and organize sit-ins and strikes; these were the basis of the revolution and the bill doesn’t criminalize it as long as it doesn’t result in chaos," he added.
Khaled Ali, head of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, said that the bill was a setback to democracy and delt with the right to protest and organize strikes as a crime.
"Since they came to power, the Cabinet dealt with workers protests as if they were personal demands that don’t consider public interest, which isn’t true," he said.
"Strikes are the key to social justice. They balance the relationship between workers and business owners. Workers will insist on their demands and an urgent social dialogue must be initiated [to address] workers’ rights and demands," he added.
Workers were joined by activists from the Socialist Revolutionists’ Movement and protesters in Tahrir Square demanding the prosecution of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and other regime figures and the "cleansing" of state owned media.
Protestors, chanting anti-military slogans over torture allegations, gathered around the Cabinet headquarters before closing Qasr Al-Aini Street on their way back to Tahrir Square and staying there.
"This bill aims at breaking social movements demanding legitimate rights, which is kind of a masked dictatorship that uses the revolution as a cover," said Yehia Fekry, manager of the Socialist Studies Center.
"If workers persist on their stance, the Cabinet and the military council will bow to their demands," he added.
Workers called for a million man march in Tahrir Square this Friday to protest the proposed bill.
Egyptians demonstrate against military trials and call for reforms and releasing detainees during a march from the journalist syndicate to the Prime minister office in downtown Cairo on March 27. (AFP Photo / Khaled Desouki)
