Misr Al-Qawia rejected the extension of the state of emergency, saying Egypt had set the state back to a point prior to 24 January 2011. The party pointed to continued not guilty verdicts for alleged killers of protesters, arrest rights for university security, the referral of civilians to military courts, trumped-up politically motivated charges, the arrest of women and children protesters, and the return of political corruption as manifestations of the country’s reverted pre-25 January state.
The party also accused the “incapable” interim government of lacking vision or a concrete policy for its citizens.
“Egyptians will not be fooled by hollow slogans that do not feed hungry mouths amid security chaos, high prices, the disruption of livelihoods, rising unemployment, and the continuing of corruption,” said the party in its statement.
The Strong Egypt Party added that the state of emergency did not have beneficial effects on securing the country, and said the government should instead maintain security by “upholding the rule of law” and stress the return of a civil democratic path that does not undermine the freedoms of citizens.
The Salafi Al-Watan Party pointed to the extension as the “reproduction of state security” and signified repressive security measures that would be taken. In a statement issued Friday Al-Watan Party also called on national reconciliation between political forces to “preserve the gains of the 25 January Revolution.”
The state of emergency was extended for another two months on Thursday after it was put in place on 14 August, the same day pro-Mohamed Morsi sit-ins at Rabaa Al-Adaweya and Nahda Square were violently dispersed.
Article 27 of the 8 July constitutional declaration stipulates that a state of emergency cannot be declared for more than three months before being put to a public referendum.
On Friday the Salafi Al-Nour Party and the 6 April Movement also condemned the extension of emergency law, as Al-Nour Party Chairman Younes Makhioun said that current laws are “adequate to cope with incidents of violence and to hold accountable those who carried them out.”
In his statement Makhioun also stated that his party did not believe emergency law would work to end violence that could only come with “freedom, respect for human rights, the rule of law and the realisation of the principles of justice and equality between Egyptians.”
The United States State Department reiterated its opposition to emergency law and called on the interim government to end the state of emergency and “create an atmosphere where Egyptians on all sides can peacefully exercise their right to freedom of assembly and expression.”
