Egypt’s parliament approves emergency

State of emergency essential to combat ‘terrorist groups’ bent on undermining country, Premier says

Egypt’s parliament yesterday unanimously approved a three-month state of emergency, broadening the power of authorities to crack down on what it called enemies of the state days after two church bombings killed at least 45.

Two suicide bombings claimed by Daesh at churches in Alexandria and Tanta plunged the nation into mourning and sent shock waves through a Coptic Christian community that has increasingly been targeted by terrorists.

The countrywide state of emergency was declared by President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi on Sunday after the attacks but required parliamentary approval according to the constitution.

The end of emergency law was a key demand during the 2011 uprising that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak, who had imposed a 30-year state of emergency to crush opposition. The law was lifted after Mubarak stepped down but re-imposed temporarily in the years that followed.

Addressing parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Sherif Esmail said the state of emergency was essential to combat what he called terrorist groups bent on undermining the country.

“The emergency law is aimed at enemies of the homeland and citizens, and it will grant state apparatuses greater ability, flexibility, and speed to confront an evil enemy that has not hesitated to kill and wreak havoc without justification or discrimination,” he said.

The law’s return raises fears among some Egyptians, who see it as a formal return to the pre-2011 police state, at a time when rights activists say they already face the worst crackdown in their history.