WASHINGTON: Washington described Egypt’s decision to extend its decades-old state of emergency as “disappointing and urged Cairo to enact counter-terror laws, a State Department spokesman said Tuesday.
“Yes, it’s disappointing that they did decide to extend the state of emergency. This was a campaign promise by President Mubarak, that he was going to repeal the state of emergency, Sean McCormack said.
“In its place, they had been working on a new law, a counter-terrorism law.
That law seems to be stuck in the parliament and we would urge the Egyptian government to pass that law so there is no need for a state of emergency, he said.
“While protecting the Egyptian people, which is an important function of any government, it also allows the ability of people to freely express themselves in public and in private, even if those views are contrary or inconsistent with the policies of the government.
Egypt on Monday extended its controversial state of emergency by two years despite pledges to replace it with new legislation, in a move slammed by rights groups as anti-constitutional.
Official state media said that parliament approved the decision by Mubarak to extend the emergency laws “for two years starting from June 1, or until a new terror law is drafted, whichever comes first. – AFP
