Egypt court rules parts of protest law unconstitutional

By Sayed Fathi

CAIRO (AA) – Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court on Saturday ruled that some parts of a controversial anti-protest law were unconstitutional.

The court said article 10 of the law that gives the Interior Ministry the authority to ban demonstrations was unconstitutional.

The court, however, rejected appeals on other articles of the law.

“Today’s verdict is final and makes the law constitutional except for one article, which will be amended by parliament,” lawyer Tareq al-Awadi told Anadolu Agency.

He said Saturday’s verdict will not have any impact on protesters who have been jailed under the law.

Adopted late 2013, the law prohibits all but police-sanctioned protests as part of a government attempt to restrict demonstrations that rocked the country following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak in a popular revolution.

Hundreds of activists have been jailed under the law.