The Misr Al-Qawia Party announced in a statement Saturday its willingness to hold talks with the government and all state institutions, in an attempt to solve “the current political turmoil”.
It presented a number of recommendations to amend current deficiencies in state institutions.
Led by former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, the Party claims to be a moderate voice in the Islamist political scene. It did not join the Anti-Coup Alliance, but was critical of the government’s repression of protests, and on the day of former President Hosni Mubarak’s acquittal called for demonstrations against the verdict.
“Change will take a reasonable time period,” said the statement. The party added that the preservation of state institutions is “important”.
“Reforming state institutions should start with these entities acknowledging that their main objectives are not only to protect the regime but also to protect human rights, freedom, and people’s dignity,” the statement said.
The Party, which is critical of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s government, condemned the current situation. It said: “Peaceful protesting, the reason for toppling the previous regimes, is banned and considered a crime, and thousands of people are on trial because of it.”
“In addition, both the public and private media are staging vicious attacks and inciting against the opposition,” the statement said.
The Party also criticised the absence of transitional justice, saying: “We are now in front of a status quo where the head of the executive is issuing laws in the absence of any monitoring by the legislative authorities.”
It added that the country is “back to the era of dawn raids, and fabricating charges, as well as violations against females, students, and young people”.
In terms of legislation, the Party advised the government to stop issuing laws in the absence the parliament, and for the government to stop applying all laws which contradict the constitution and human rights. These include, it said, the controversial Protest Law and the Preventive Detention law. The Party also called for initiating discussions concerning the NGO laws, asking the government to avoid “vague terminologies”, which might endanger organisations and NGOs, and for amending the elections law, accusing it of having “flaws”.
“The new laws should focus more on representing all elements of society, so as not to repeat the corruption of the previous parliaments,” the statement said.
Concerning freedoms and rights, the party demanded that all political detainees and political leaders who are not accused of murder or terrorism should be released.
It also added that “restrictive measures” like travel bans and confiscation of properties should not be implemented without legal reference.
The statement also discussed counterterrorism, emphasising the need to form specially trained units to prevent “terrorist operations using high technology”, without targeting civilians or families.
In the long run, the party recommended that the government apply all its powers to ensure “transitional justice, where reconciliation can take place”.
However, the party made it clear in the statement that the police and the army is “to return to its roles towards the homeland and civilians”. It added that the governed should ensure a certain level of privacy to these institutions, and ensure the independence of the judiciary as well as “cleansing” of the Ministry of Interior.
The Misr Al-Qawia Party was initially founded by Abul Fotouh in 2012 before the first round of parliamentary elections after the 25 January Revolution. The party had previously announced its boycott of the constitutional referendum and the presidential elections.
