(AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED)
The administrative court in Cairo decided to suspend reviewing an appeal that contests the Protest Law by human rights lawyers until the Supreme Constitutional Court judges the constitutionality of the law.
Prominent lawyers Khaled Ali and Tarek Al-Awady filed an appeal against an administrative decision to reject a permit for a demonstration and through the appeal the lawyers contested the constitutionality of the law, according to Al-Awady.
“Referring the case to the Supreme Constitutional Court is an expected procedure” said Al-Awady. “No date was set for the court to respond but they are already reviewing the case, and they will probably respond within a month.”
Interim president Adly Mansour issued the law in November 2013, granting security officials the power to ban protests or political gatherings.
Human Rights Watch judged the law as “violating international standards”. The Protest Law’s issuance by the interim government in November 2013 came at a time of frequent clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and security forces. Since the law was enacted, it has been used to build numerous cases against students and activists on charges of “illegal assembly”.
The charge of illegal protesting has been used since against thousands, including Brotherhood members and supporters, as well as high profile pro-democracy activists like Alaa Abdel Fattah, Ahmed Douma, Ahmed Maher, Sanaa Seif and Yara Sallam.
