Weekly Bulletin from 24 to 29 July
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Tunisia
The latest news of the parliament work, as two reports of the General legislation commission were ratified about a basic draft law no. (39/2018) concerning the revision and completion of the basic law no (50/2015) related to the constitutional court and a proposed basic law no (44/2010) about the revision of the basic law no (50/2015) related to the constitutional court.
And nevertheless, the news of such a revision passed peacefully without attention from the Tunisian public opinion.
The constitutional court in Tunisia:Is the case already a problematic law?
The parliament general legislative committee finished revising the basic law of the constitutional court in the light of a proposed law submitted by the representative bloc of the democratic movement, and a governmental law draft to change the majority of votes required to elect a member in the in the constitutional court. And the proposed law of the movement includes amending chapter 10 to delete the term (consecutively) which requires the Supreme Judicial council to wait until the parliament completes electing four members, then in turn the council elects its four members, and then the role of the president of the republic to appoint four members.
And as to the draft law of the government which changes the majority of the required votes from the parliament to elect a member in the constitutional court, thus these majority proposed by the government has been rejected and the majority of the three fifth was approved and ratified to elect a member in the constitutional court in case the failure of the election. And that happened by adding a paragraph to article 11 which states that ” If the required number of candidates didn’t achieve the required majority for what’s left, a new session shall be held to elect the remaining members by a secret ballot with a majority of three fifths.
In case of the law is endorsed, the Supreme Judicial council shall elect 4 members and the president of the republic appoints 4 members without waiting the parliament to complete electing the four members.
It is known that the list of candidates for the constitutional court membership includes 7 controversial names to the public opinion in Tunisia, and the law specialists.
The names are problematic in terms of the limited vision concerning the issue of the individual freedoms and human rights.
And just revising the law for the establishment of the court doesn’t mean guaranteeing human rights according to an interpretation that respects the court in its universal and human horizon.
The constitutional court, like other institutions in the state, has been subjected to politicization and exploitation for the governance narrowed purposes.
And that matter throws a burden on the Tunisian civil society which seeks in the meantime for monitoring, guiding, and proposing while the parties continue their political policy.
The constitutional court in Tunisia: between human rights and the political policy
The above date especially appears in the parliamentary work.As discussions and disagreements continue concerning the withdrawal of confidence regulation from Rashid Al-Ghanushi the speaker of the house of representatives.
The two representatives of the democratic bloc,Nabil Haji and Zoheir Al-Maghzawy, stated in the house of representatives bureau their withdrawal from the meeting devoted to the regulation of no-confidence from the speaker of the house of representatives, Rashid Al-Ghanosh, as protestingly against what they had considered a ‘ fraud’ from Al-Nahda movement and its chairman which led to postphone the session.Nabil Haji criticized the Skepticism of Al-Nahda movement concerning some signatures of the Free Destourian party to the. regulation And this was considered as a way of circumvention from Al-Nahda movement over the procedures to postphone invoking the regulation.
This issue has been delayed for another day, to declare the approval of the regulation and to schedule the 30th of July to invoke the regulation in front of a secret plenary session and without discussions. Meanwhile, on the government level, the president of the republic Kais Saied desides to mandate the current minister of the interior in the caretaker government headed by Hichem Mechichi to form the coming government. And Al-Nahda movement congratulated the minister, calling him to expand his negotiations to guarantee a political support. And in parallel with that, the parties are seeking a political presence to ensure its future repositioning. while there is a decline in the parties which participated in the. governing system In which this matter raises critical questions concerning the future of the crisis, between the failure to form the government and the early elections.
On the anniversary of the assassination of the martyr Mohammad Al-Brahimi. The defense of the two martyrs returned with new files which posed serious and real questions about the Secret Service and the relationship of the current Speaker of the representatives, Rashid Ghannouchi, to one of the accused, Mostafa Khater
Iman Qazara- a member of the office of the defense for the two Martyrs, Shukri Belaid and Muhammad Brahim, stated during the symposium that was held on Thursday July 23, 2020 that they had discovered a relationship between Mustafa Khadir (the office confirmed that he is the head of the secret service of Al-Nahda movement) and the head of the Al-Nahda movement, Rashid Ghannoushi,through his cell phone and through a person called Kamal al-Badawi.
The defense office of the martyrs : the truth is in the hands of the struggle and obstacles of litigation
Kamal Al-Badawi is a very close friend to Ghannouchi, who was from the security group since 1991, and he carries out secret and security duties. And, Mostafa Khadir sought the help of Al-Ghannouchi on December 19, 2013, the date of his arrest. The defense office member also confirmed that the Attorney General, Bashir Al-Akrami, made all fools to protect Al-Ghannouchi and some of his close persons, and he did not refer the case against. Thus, the commission opened a new path in the case of the two martyrs
Meanwhile, the President of the Republic visited the graves of the martyrs and a number of country symbols on the anniversary of the assassination of Al-Brahmi . As, it is a given indicating the seriousness of the issue and the need to work on it from everyone at all levels
The Tunisian rights bulletin : A confused country, the parties’ absence, old politics, waisted rights, founding and interpretation
On the human rights level, restraining provisions are frequent in the right to freedom of expression This is what civil society organizations considered a judicial scandal by all standards, especially after the imprisonment of writer and journalist Tawfik Bin Brik and the sentencing of lawyer Asma Al-Munawar to 10 months in prison.
it was also clear that the issue of African migrants, whether from sub-Saharan Africa or Tunisia to the northern West Bank of the Mediterranean is a pure security policy. This is what prompted the President of the Tunisian Republic in his meeting with the Italian Minister of the Interior to place the humanitarian side on the narrow security vision It is reported that the number of immigrants is increasing considering the continuous social and economic crises. While Italy continues to deport migrants to Tunisia.
The judicial organization continues to demonstrate that it does not understand the changes initiated by the Tunisian constitution.
Some of the judges ’convictions ended in passing through the ruler of law and judicial rulings to impose homosexuals in prisons based on texts that contradict the constitution and international law.
Egypt
In connection with the work of the legislative authority in Egypt and its scenes, and with the approaching of the Senate elections, a list of electoral advertising prohibitions was issued in accordance with the decision of the National Elections Authority. The mentioned list included the following:
- To prohibit the organization of public meetings for the purpose of electoral advertising, in view of social estrangement to protect citizens from being infected with the Coronavirus
- Banning propaganda that includes exposure to the privacy of citizens or candidates, or threatening national unity or the use of religious slogans or symbols that call for discrimination between citizens based on gender, language, creed, or inciting hatred, or the use of violence or the threat of its use.
Egypt’s Senate elections: a second chamber for regime arms?
It is noteworthy that the Law on the Exercise of Political Rights No. 45 of 2014, as amended by Law No. 140 of 2020, stipulated in Article 31 thereof these prohibitions. The period of the health pandemic and its necessities came to increase the prohibitions, in parallel with an unfavorable political atmosphere in the elections for the second chamber of the legislative authority in Egypt, which is already known as the hegemony of the arms of the executive authority.
The Supreme Administrative Court held an urgent and special session to consider the electoral appeals for the Senate 2020, which was referred to the first instance court, “Administrative Judiciary”, and issued a number of conclusive and final decisions that cannot be challenged for issuing them from the highest judicial threshold in the State Council, amounting to 78 rejections and 17 Reservations for judgment later.
The Shura Council had previously been dissolved in Egypt during the preparation of the Egyptian constitution, but the Senate brought it back in another name. It is criticized for the possibility that it can be used to return of corruption, influences, and allies of the regime within the authority, as another way to strengthen the subjugation of the legislature.
The notorious Shura Council returns under a new name
Regarding the governmental action, the Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of a Muslim Brotherhood cell in Alexandria that includes 6 terrorist elements aimed at causing confusion and rumors in conjunction with electoral entitlements. This raises questions about the elections as a whole, which take place in light of parallel terrorism by the regime on all opposition voices from the civil and human rights movement. Meanwhile, Egypt is simultaneously facing pressure from the Renaissance Dam file, after Ethiopia unilaterally launched the dam. This has cast a shadow over the current course of negotiations, according to the Egyptian cabinet statement.
Egypt between the oppression of terrorism and armed groups
At the level of the legal bulletin in Egypt, the Egyptian judiciary is making a small step by issuing the first rulings in the bullying case. Those accused of bullying a Sudanese child were sentenced to two years imprisonment with work and enforcement, and fined them 100,000 pounds and obliged them to pay the expenses.
While women’s rights in Egypt have not progressed a bit because of the widespread phenomenon of harassment at all levels. After female students of the Film Institute inaugurated an account on Instagram during the past few days to be the voice of survivors of sexual assault at the Higher Institute for Cinema and retribution from the aggressors. The National Council for Women issued a statement supporting the complaints of students of the Higher Institute of Film who were subjected to harassment attempts inside the campus of the institute.
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution Office ordered the referral of six accused – four male and two girls – to a criminal trial before the Criminal Court. One of them was accused of kidnapping the victim with fraud and coercion, and associating that felony with her rape. Others were accused of raping her her forcibly and threatening her, violating the sanctity of her private life via the internet, beating her, damaging her phone, and threatening her to divulge things that can violate her honor, drug abuse, management and preparation a place for that.
The judiciary in Egypt: positive steps that minimize the rights of society that are not inherent and provisions that are in line with the oppressive system
The details that follow prove the title mentioned above. The legal bulletin is filled with the provisions of renewal of imprisonment to ensure that free and opposing voices remain in prison.
• Cairo Criminal Court renewal for 45 days in Case 488 of 2019, limiting the security of a state to incarceration:
- Journalist Khaled Dawood
- Jurist Mahinur Al-Masry
- The two students are Al-Badri Arafa and Muhammad Ahmed Taha
The same renewal period applied to case No. 1898 of 2019, with the imprisonment of:
- The activists, Hassan Mustafa and Hussein Al-Sabbak
- Lawyer Mohab Al-Ibrashi
- Editor, Mohamed Mahmoud Ezzat
The Fifth Circuit of the aforementioned court proceeded to replace the pretrial detention with precautionary measures in case 1358 of 2019:
- Attorney Sahar Ali
• The Fifth Chamber continued the Cairo terrorist felonies provisions of renewal for a period of 45 days in case No. 1356 of 2019 restricting the security of a supreme state to the right of:
- Human rights lawyer Muhammad al-Baqir
- Blogger and activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah
- Blogger and photojournalist Mohamed Oxygen
Renewal of Muhammad’s oxygen imprisonment: the oxygen of freedom stifles the oppressive regime
The work of the Fifth Department, the crimes of Cairo terrorism, continues without interruption, as it renewed 45 days pending case No. 1475 of 2019, restricting the security of a supreme state to imprisonment:
- Labor activist Khalil Rizk Khalil
- The worker Haitham Abdel Moneim Raouf
In case No. 1338 of 2019 restricting the security of a supreme state, renewed the imprisonment:
- Labor activist Rashad Kamal
- The journalist, Sayed Abdellah
- Lawyer Mohammed Ghaith Abdullah
- The driver Ahmed Zeinhom
- Activist Sameh Saudi
- Khaled Mohsen Suleiman
- Lawyer Walid Al-Shafei
In case No. 1365 of 2018 restricting the security of a supreme state, renewed prison terms were also against journalists:
- Mohamed Mesbah Gabriel
- Abdel Rahman Awad Ismail
As for the Al-Zaytoun Prosecution, it was not out of the ordinary for the judges of the Authority, as it renewed the imprisonment in case No. 3405 of 2020, the Al-Zaytoun administrator, for a period of 15 days, regarding the right to:
- Fathi Ahmed
In an exceptional case, Diaa Rashwan, head of the Syndicate of Journalists, announced the release of journalist Adel Sabry, the editor-in-chief of the Egypt Arab website, after the end of the period of pre-trial detention pending case No. 441 of 2018 by a decision of the Supreme State Security Prosecution.
As for the economic and social rights news, the workers of the Nile Insulation Materials Company in Alexandria ended 23 days of sit-in, after the administration agreed to their demands, by increasing incentives and including new workers in the healthcare system, disbursement of granting events, increasing wages, and not paying the percentage of profits to workers. It is a sample news on a complex reality facing the working classes in Egypt, that are suffering under the weight of an economic and social system which is intertwined with the political system.
Economic and social rights: the alliance of the economic, social and political system against workers
Meanwhile, linked to the Corona pandemic, the number of doctors who are victims of the virus has reached 131, according to the Egyptian Medical Syndicate page. These figures reveal only partly the suffering of the medical staff, who face official policies that do not value them.
Libya
International polarization over Libya is still the most prominent title in the course of events currently. All speculations talk about the possibility of a military clash right there in parallel with United Nations active attempts to fix the conditions seeking to return the Libyan parties back to discussions.
Libyan crisis and the confrontation currently Egyptian-Turkish and facade to a Russian-American opposition
Arab newspapers and websites discussed the Libyan crisis developments amid questions whether possibilities of military confrontation are decreasing. Writers believe that Egypt and Turkey are aware of the consequences of the military confrontation, which could open channels for negotiation.
Both the Egyptian and Turkish presidents held several meetings to send clear messages on possible situations regarding the crisis in Libya. Sisi got a mandate for a military interference in Libya, and Anadolu Agency announced holding an emergency and closed meeting of the Supreme Military Shura Council which was led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, in the presence of five ministers including the Foreign Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, Finance Minister and Interior Affaires Minister. The meeting also included Army Chief of Staff and the leaders of air, land and maritime weapons. All of them declare willingness for the military choice, while asoirations focus on political solution to avoid everyone the worst possible scenarios
The efforts to reach a political settlement in Libya are still the most prominent title of the state movements recently. However, each party continues to offer its own titles that range from the international legitimacy to the interests of supporting terrorism and strategic expansion.
States move and the Arab League is absent
The Arab League has been and is still absent, as its role recently is limited to attending through the League’s General Secretariat on Thursday, July 23, at the fourth meeting of the International Follow-up Committee on Libya at the senior officials level stemming from Berlin International conference.
Meanwhile, the Moroccan Queen returned to play a role in the Libyan conflict, as the Head of Libyan Supreme Council of State in Libya “Khaled Al-Mashri” went to Morocco on an official visit. Al-Mashri’s visit comes in parallel with the visit of the Speaker of Parliament “Aqeela Saleh” to Rabat. The Speaker of Libyan Parliament “Aqeela Saleh” was in Morocco on Sunday, July 26, to discuss with the presidents of both houses of the Moroccan Parliament on his initiative to solve the crisis in his country. Morocco repeatedly stressed its adherence to the Skhirat Agreement of 2015 among the conflicting parties as a political reference to find a solution all parties accept.
The Saudi Foreign Minister visited Egypt and Algeria, stressing on the role of the neighboring countries, while his vision of solution in Libya contradicts with the Egyptian regime vision. In another context, the United States is focusing on what it is concerned with, i.e., the Russian presence in North Africa, where AFRICOM forces published satellite photos of the Russian military presence and emphasized the involvement of Wager’s forces in air operations in Libya.
The Wall Street journal also confirmed that the US State Department is ready to impose sanctions against the Commander of the General Command forces, General Khalifa Hifter, due to the Russian “Wanger” private military company, as if, in early July, “Wanger” was responsible for controlling the Sidra port, which prevented Al-Wefaq government, led by Fayez al-Sarraj, from exporting oil. Libyan oil and wealth are the main obsession of the major countries, Russia and USA, which seek to return to the Libyan file in different ways, having adopted a neutral approach that allowed others to exist for a while.
Libya: Clash over oil and military presence in long-term strategies
According to these balances, which made the proxy warriors retreat for larger roles for Italy, France, Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the United States of America, it crytal clrear that all of them have interests Which they aspire to keep away from the woes of war in Sirte. Indeed, all parties are trying to reach an amicable agreement, despite the contradictory interests between the military presence and oil-sharing strategies.
Meanwhile, at the human rights level, the military court in Benghazi ended up with a 15-year prison sentence for photojournalist Ismail Abu Zriba Al-Zwi, who has been detained since December 2018. Al-Zwi is accused of working in satellite channels that the authorities in the Libyan east deem “hostile channels”. Further, collective tombs are being found out on daily basis, which reflects how much the Libyan parties are in deep schism and the crimes committed by the armed groups.
At the Corona pandemic level, the National Center of Disease Control announced the spread of the disease locally, threatening Libyans seriously.
Regarding the latest developments in the spread of the virus in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya
Last update: 07/20/2020 - 10:00
Egypt :
libya :
tunisia :
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