Washington, Sept 17 (ANI): Egyptian military government's move to expand its emergency powers to detain people without evidence in the wake of recent mob assault on the Israeli embassy, has been denounced as the most significant curbs on personal freedoms since the fall of former dictator Hosni Mubarak, and also reminds people of his dictatorial regime.
Egypt's interim leaders are reviving and broadening laws used to detain thousands of dissidents during the Mubarak years, calling the move critical for maintaining law and order in the nation.
But groups across the country's political spectrum, have denounced the move as harkening back to the strong-arm tactics many hoped would be swept away by the Arab Spring, the Washington Post reports.
"The revolution happened to begin with because the emergency law had been active for 30 years in Egypt. It's not right reactivating this law when the country is in this transitional, non-conclusive phase," the paper quoted Bassel Adel, head of the Free Egyptian Party, as saying.
Heba Morayef, Egypt representative for Human Rights Watch also said that military's decision, of not just maintaining, but also to expanding the emergency law, is a reminder of Mubarak's dictatorial regime.
"This is classic military thinking. It's a reminder that this is the same regime as Mubarak, a regime that does not know what democracy is," the paper quoted Morayef, as saying.
An Egyptian government official, however, defended the move saying that the measures were being taken purely for security reasons at a time when the attack on the Israeli Embassy threatened to tarnish Egypt's image abroad.
"The emergency law is being reinforced in order to protect public property and the streets and to stop the people who instigate violence. It will not target views or freedom of expression or criticism," the official said.
But opponents of the law fear it laws could be used by the military to put down a wave of labor strikes, target outspoken politicians or even curb the ongoing protests aimed at pressuring the interim government to move faster in handing over power. (ANI)
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