Archive for President Mohamed Morsy

Tahrir closed to traffic, but calm prevails

by admin
February 3rd, 2013

Calm prevailed on Sunday in Tahrir Square, neighboring streets as well as around the Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel and Simon Bolivar Square, near the US Embassy.

However, protesters continued to close Tahrir off to traffic.

Security forces were seen in front of the Shepherd Hotel on the Corniche, while several protesters were arrested by police near one of the Tahrir Square entrances.

Meanwhile, dozens of protesters belonging to various political movements continued to camp out in the square. Dozens of protesters marched across the square and chanted slogans against the rule of President Mohamed Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Several streets vendors were seen selling masks of the Black Bloc group made of cloth or plastic.

Clashes between police and anti-Morsy protesters erupted over the past week in Tahrir and on the Qasr al-Nil bridge during demonstrations commemorating the second anniversary of the 25 January revolution.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
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Al-Azhar: Ministry-proposed bonds at odds with Sharia

by admin
January 2nd, 2013

Members at Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Academy have rejected a Finance Ministry-proposed bill sanctioning the introduction of Islamic financial bonds, saying it "violates Islamic Sharia and endangers the state's sovereignty."

The scholars voiced their opposition during an urgent meeting late Tuesday led by Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb.

The bill would allow foreigners to own Islamic bonds (sukuk) and shares in local factories and businesses, academy member and former Grand Mufti Nasr Farid Wasel told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

"It is like we are selling our properties to foreigners," he said.

A 1992 capital market law allows the sale of Islamic bonds, which enable holders to have shares in commercial, industrial and agricultural undertakings under a Sharia-friendly investment structure.

The academy did not specify which aspect of the bill violates Sharia, but said it consulted Al-Azhar University economics experts before declaring a position on the proposed legislation, which aims to secure financial liquidity for economic development projects.

Since Islamist President Mohamed Morsy assumed office in June, there has been speculation that the government will introduce more Islam-friendly financing instruments.

Because they attract pools of conservative Islamic investment money, such bonds have often proved to be more stable than conventional bonds during the global financial crisis, and they might be an effective way to attract some of the savings of millions of Egyptians living abroad or Islamic investment funds in the Gulf, according to Reuters.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt Economy
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Wednesday’s papers: Mubarak watched protester killings, alleges fact-finding committee

by admin
January 2nd, 2013

"Mubarak saw the killing of the protesters during the revolution," privately owned daily Al-Shorouk leads Wednesday's coverage.

The attention-grabbing headline is followed with a report that former President Hosni Mubarak was aware of the events happening in Tahrir Square during the 2011 revolution and monitored everything via an encoded channel, according to a fact-finding committee formed by President Mohamed Morsy. The channel was allegedly set up by then-Information Minister Anas al-Fiqqi, who reportedly still has a copy of the footage. Committee member Mohsen Bahnassy says the panel is scheduled to meet with Morsy to discuss its findings Wednesday.

The committee also reveals other allegations, including former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly's claim that American embassy cars were used in illegal missions during the revolution and that certain documents issued by the ministry contain the names of all officers appointed in Tahrir and other main squares during the 2011 protests, Al-Shorouk reports.  

The committee's Secretary General Omar Marwan also purportedly told the paper that the names of the real criminals behind protester deaths have been revealed and confirmed that "foreign entities" were involved. Marwan says the final draft of the committee's report will contain many surprises condemning prominent political and foreign leaders.

Government newspapers on the other hand, focus this morning on controversial new protest legislation. Al-Akhbar reports that Justice Minister Ahmed Mekky has confirmed a new bill regulating demonstrations is in the making.

Several lawmakers and government officials had previously denied the government is in talks over a draft law leaked earlier this week to newspapers that would severely restrict protests. But Mekky reportedly says that every right in the world has some restrictions. The legislation, according to the minister, may ban protests in houses of worship and allocate certain other areas for demonstrations. He also confirmed a previously reported restriction that protest organizers would have to inform authorities in advance of the time and location of their demonstration.

Freedom and Justice highlights the country's currency issues in the unconventional headline "Egyptian expats are real men." The party mouthpiece raves about the bank transfers from abroad as part of a "transfer dollars to Egypt" initiative that follows a new currency regime announced by the Central Bank Saturday and the subsequent devaluation of the pound.

The paper reports US$162 million has arrived via a Swiss plane from Zurich for Misr Bank and National Bank of Egypt and a renowned Saudi businessman deposited US$2 billion in his Egyptian account. The newspaper added that National Bank of Egypt has simplified the process of opening an account in dollars for locals and Egyptian expatriates, especially those in Saudi Arabia.      

The arrest of suspect Islam Ashraf in the shooting of April 6 Youth Activist Mohannad Samir makes headlines in the liberal party paper Al-Wafd. The 29-year-old was arrested in a restaurant downtown and allegedly admitted to shooting at protesters Monday when they refused to let him enter Tahrir Square by car, according to a police source. Demonstrating the confusion surrounding the case, Al-Akhbar says Ashraf is the owner of a café and restaurant in downtown and was arrested in a nearby cabaret. Other accounts have reported that Ashraf denied the allegations against him.

Egypt’s papers:

Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt

Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size

Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run

Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run

Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned

Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned

Al-Watan: Daily, privately owned

Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party

Youm7: Daily, privately owned

Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned

Al-Sabah: Daily, privately owned

Freedom and Justice: Daily, published by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party

Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned

Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Nasserist Party

Al-Nour: Official paper of the Salafi Nour Party

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Activist released from hospital after assault

by admin
January 2nd, 2013

A former April 6 Youth Movement activist who was beaten in Tahrir by unidentified assailants on Tuesday has been released from the hospital Wednesday.

The assault began when Islamist activist Abdel Rahman Ezz attempted to visit April 6 activist Mohannad Samir in a Mounira hospital, where he is in critical condition after being shot in the head in Tahrir Square Monday.

Some of Samir's friends reported through social network sites that Ezz was headed with a body guard to Ahmed Mazher Hospital to visit him. Friends at the hospital allegedly assaulted Ezz to prevent him from visiting the injured activist.

As he left, Ezz was reportedly kidnapped by unknown individuals, taken to Tahrir Square, and beaten.

He was released from Red Crescent Hospital Wednesday morning and taken home by ambulance surrounded by other activists expressing their support for him.

Samir's friends justified their attack on Ezz at the hospital, alleging he had given information about President Mohamed Morsy's opponents to security forces during clashes outside the presidential palace last month. They claimed this led to the death and torture of several people. Social networks users have circulated tweets Ezz posted in December, saying he was heading with others to the palace sit-in and would use force to disperse it.

The public prosecutor has also ignored several complaints accusing Ezz of involvement in burning Wafd Party headquarters last month, the activists said.

The assault on Ezz evoked much controversy among internet users. One doctor at the Red Crescent Hospital posted photos of the injured activist with the caption “That dog, Abdel Rahman Ezz, is here with me at the hospital. I swear i will **** him.” The doctor’s comments enraged both Ezz’s supporters and opponents who demanded that the physician be interrogated and said politics should not interfere with the treatment of patients.

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Former VP: NSF will participate in next round of national dialogue

by admin
January 1st, 2013

Former Vice President Mahmoud Mekky said Tuesday that eight representative of the National Salvation Front (NSF) will participate in the next round of the national dialogue.

Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali had said earlier that the seventh round of the dialogue is set for 9 January, and will discuss amendments to provisions of the new constitution proposed by various political parties, movements, public figures, unions, associations and universities. The discussions are set to be a prelude to a document that will be presented to the president, who will then forward it to the incoming parliament for discussion in its first session.

Saturday is the deadline for accepting suggestions for changes, Ali added.

The NSF announced Monday its readiness for dialogue with the presidency.

“We assured the mediation committee [formed by the presidency] that we are ready for dialogue with the presidency immediately to set rules and an agenda. We submitted names of [our] representatives and informed the mediators as well as Mekky, who said he would respond to the request. However, we have received no response so far,” NSF member Wahid Abdel Meguid said.

Mekky said he will voluntarily moderate the dialogue, even though he resigned from his post in December, in a bid to reach a genuine reconciliation between all political forces. “I feel it is a fruitful dialogue,” he said. “We would not have come up with the elections law without it.”

“I will continue to invite all forces boycotting the dialogue,” he added, and “we took their remarks into consideration even though they did not attend."

President Mohamed Morsy's controversial constitutional declaration, through which he claimed sweeping powers, spurring mass protests and violent confrontations, was  later revoked. The NSF itself was born out of a complete rejection of Morsy's decisions, and united opposition and civil forces under one entity.

Mekky says the cancellation of the declaration was achieved through the dialogue, "something blood could not have done."

The NSF had not participated in these talks, and had continued its protests even after the declaration was cancelled, in protest of the rushed approval of the draft constitution as well as the snap referendum announced by Morsy.  

"We also agreed to suggestions for the Shura Council appointments," he added.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Morsy files complaint against Al-Masry Al-Youm

by admin
January 1st, 2013

President Mohamed Morsy's administration has accused Al-Masry Al-Youm, in an official complaint, of "circulating false news likely to disturb public peace and public security and affect the administration."

The prosecution summoned Al-Masry Al-Youm reporter and head of the papers accidents department Yousry al-Badry for interrogation on Saturday. Morsy's legal adviser filed a complaint demanding the interrogation of Badry for publishing "false news."
 
Al-Masry Al-Youm published a news attributed to "sources" saying that the Maadi Military Hospital received notice of a visit by Morsy without stating the aim of Morsy's visit. The news was then updated to say that Morsy's wife had only visited a relative in the hospital.
 
The prosecution notified the Journalists Syndicate about the complaint. The Journalists Syndicate, in response, announced its solidarity with Al-Masry Al-Youm and said its legal advisers will attend the interrogations of Badry, along with the newspaper's own legal adviser.
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Abouel Fotouh: Morsy’s performance so far is weak

by admin
January 1st, 2013

Strong Egypt Party chief Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh has accused President Mohamed Morsy of intransparency and making hasty decisions.

“President Morsy’s performance is weak. He started his rule with principle of depending on people he trusts rather than experienced people,” Abouel Fotouh told the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper on Tuesday.

He also claimed that there was an absence of objective standards in selecting ministers for a new Cabinet, and said that a similar lack of standards also characterized the selection process of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil.

Abouel Fotouh, who is a former member at the Muslim Brotherhood's Guidance Bureau, accused the group of “ignoring the preaching and getting involved in competitions. It turned to a political adversary and a perpetrator of the current dangerous state of polarization in Egypt.”

He added that Morsy's emphasis on dialogue, economic recovery, social justice and judicial independence require action and not just talk.

Additionally, Abouel Fotouh decried Egyptian foreign policy as unchanged since the regime of Hosni Mubarak, describing it as reactive rather than proactive. He warned opposition forces not to associate with remnants from Mubarak's regime, and to instead revise their political discourse and present alternatives.

He also condemned recent attacks by Islamists against media and pop culture figures, and warned that political mistakes had resulted in anger against Islamist political forces in many Arab countries.

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Comedian Bassem Youssef investigated for insulting president

by admin
January 1st, 2013

Egypt's Prosecutor General Talaat Abdallah has referred comedy show presenter Bassem Youssef for investigations after a complaint accused him of insulting President Mohamed Morsy.

State-run news agency MENA said the petition had been filed by lawyer Ramadan Abdel Hamid al-Oksory.

In his petition, Oksory accused Youssef of mocking state figures, including President Morsy, in a manner that humiliates them in front of other states.

The decision to open the investigation does not necessarily mean that prosecution will result. Egyptian laws do not place restrictions on petitioners filing complaints with the prosecution, which has made complaints against public figures common.

However, several other complaints had been filed against media figures critical of the ruling Islamist regime, which has raised concerns among the media concerning the future of freedom of expression under Morsy’s rule.

Oksory has been active in filing complaints recently. In November, he filed a complaint demanding that Coptic business tycoon Nagib Sawiris be stripped of his Egyptian citizenship

 

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Brotherhood denies nominating Shater for prime minister

by admin
December 31st, 2012

The Muslim Brotherhood does not know who is campaigning on the Internet to nominate the group's deputy supreme guide, Khairat al-Shater, for prime minister, the Brotherhood's secretary general said, denying that it could be the group's youth.

"It is up to the president to decide on this," Mahmoud Hussein told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Monday, adding, "and we will support him."

A Facebook group campaigning for Shater's nomination said Friday that its members are contacting political figures to support their demand.

Hussein added that the group objects to certain ministers in Prime Minister Hesham Qandil's Cabinet, but refuses to change it fully, as it is an interim government.

In a related development, sources said negotiations are under way with Omar al-Sheikh, chairman of Telecom Egypt, to take over as communications minister, succeeding Hany Mahmoud, who has resigned. Atef Helmy, former president of Oracle, declined the position.

They also said Ahmed al-Rokaiby is about to accept the post of supply and internal trade minister.

Meanwhile, a Cabinet source said the president would soon announce the reshuffle.

President Mohamed Morsy revealed Wednesday his plans for a Cabinet reshuffle.

Morsy, in a televised speech on the adoption of the country's new Constitution, said, "I asked Qandil and consulted with him to make appropriate ministerial reshuffles suitable for [this] stage, to face all problems — large and small problems".

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Agency: Egypt budget deficit expected to widen to LE200 bn

by admin
December 31st, 2012

Egypt's budget deficit in the year to end-June 2013 could widen by 50 percent from the original forecast made in July, according to a figure released by the planning minister Monday.

"The budget deficit is expected to rise to LE200 billion in the current fiscal year unless strict economic policies are put in place to confront it," the state news agency quoted Ashraf al-Araby as saying Monday.

The 2012/13 budget released in July had forecast a deficit of LE135 billion compared to an actual deficit of LE166.7 billion for the previous year. Economists at the time said that forecast was optimistic.

President Mohamed Morsy earlier this month suspended a series of planned tax increases as the country prepared for a referendum on a contentious new constitution, which was passed on 22 December.

The unpopular measures were deemed necessary to secure US$4.8 billion Egypt is seeking from the International Monetary Fund, which wants Egypt to rein in its deficit.

The government said last week it would not implement the measures for at least two more weeks to give it time to explain them to different parts of society.

Prime Minister Hesham Qandil said Sunday that he expected talks with the IMF to resume in January.

Araby predicted in November that this year's deficit would be 10.4 percent of gross domestic product, without stating the figure in pounds, up from the original forecast of 8 percent.

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