The Administrative Court rejected on Saturday a case calling for the dissolution of all political parties formed after the 25 January Revolution. The case was filed against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which was in charge of the country at the time.
After the revolution, which toppled former president Hosni Mubarak, dozens of parties were established, including different political and religious groups, some of which continued to participate in the political scene.
In the same context, the court refused a case calling for the dissolution of political parties that are part of the pro-Morsi Anti Coup Alliance (ACA), formed after July 2013. The alliance includes parties like the Building and Development, the Freedom and Justice, and the Tahrir Islamist parties. Almost all of these parties are either banned by the government or are inactive due to the ongoing crackdown against Islamists. The case was presented by Ahmed Fadaly, a pro-government politician known for his controversial involvement in the Battle of the Camel during the 25 January Revolution. He was accused by activists of mobilising thugs against protesters in Tahrir Square.
The same court also rejected on Saturday a lawsuit demanding Al-Nour Party’s dissolution on the grounds of its religious basis.
The plaintiff submitted the lawsuit demanding the dissolution of Al-Nour Party amongt other Islamist parties, including the already dissolved Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), claiming the religious ideology of the parties violates the constitution.
Article 74 of Egypt’s constitution states that “it is illegal to form political parties on a religious basis, or based on discrimination according to gender or race, or according to sectarian or geographical bases.”
Al-Nour Party was the main political Islamist force supporting the popular uprising in June 2013 that eventually led to the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood-led government.
The party’s head, Younes Makhyoun, was one of the very few politicians present in the press conference held by the then-Defence Minister, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, to announce the ousting of former president Mohamed Morsi from power.
