STATE OF PLAY REGARDING EGYPT'S PLANNED

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000971

SIPDIS

NSC FOR PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018
TAGS: PINR PGOV PINS PTER EG
SUBJECT: STATE OF PLAY REGARDING EGYPT'S PLANNED
COUNTER-TERROR LAW (C-CT8-00695)

REF: A. SECSTATE 40507

B. CAIRO 843

C. 07 CAIRO 1638

Classified By: Minister-Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs
William R. Stewart for Reasons 1.4(B).

1.(C) Summary: There are conflicting reports on the status
of the new Counter-Terrorism law, which is expected to come
into force when the long-standing Emergency Law expires,
absent an extension, on May 31. Some interlocutors tell us
the new legislation is on track, while others anticipate an
extension of the Emergency Law. In either case, the
government has released virtually no information publicly and
has been reticent with us regarding both the status and
contents of the new CT law. End summary.

--------------
PROSPECTS FOR APPROVAL OF THE NEW CT LAW
--------------

2.(C) On May 7, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for
Counter-Terrorism Ashraf Mohsen told us that the draft of the
CT law had been sent by the inter-ministerial drafting
committee to President Mubarak's cabinet for final review.
According to Mohsen, the Cabinet may either submit the draft
law to Parliament for approval or refer it back to the
drafting committee for revision. Mohsen said that even
though he is a member of the drafting committee, he does not
know when the cabinet will take action. In an April 22
conversation, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Human
Rights Wael Aboulmagd told us that he expects the Emergency
Law to be extended because he envisions a lengthy debate in
Parliament before the CT law is approved (ref B).

3.(C) There are, however, other GoE views. On May 8, a
group of State Security Investigative Service (SSIS)
officials, including General Aly Hegazy, head of the SSIS
Office of Foreign Affairs, told us that they expected the CT
law to take effect by May 31. They do not expect a long
debate in Parliament, pointing out that recently the People's
Assembly approved the GoE's unpopular proposal for a fuel tax
hike after just one day of debate.

-------------- --------------
CONTENTS OF CT LAW/IMPACT ON EMERGENCY LAW DETAINEES
-------------- --------------

4.(C) General Hegazy and his colleagues told us that the
security establishment has been preparing for the new CT law
"for years" and said it will address detainees currently held
under the Emergency Law. They envision a "transition period
of weeks" following the implementation of the new CT law
during which detainees who have been held without trial
(under the Emergency Law) will be quickly brought before
judges. They also said that the number of detainees under
the Emergency Law has been reduced significantly in recent
years as terrorism suspects were released as a result of
ideological "revisions" (ref C). They declined to provide an
estimate of the number of detainees currently held under the
Emergency Law.

5.(C) The MFA's Mohsen also told us the interagency drafting
committee considered the impact of the new CT law on
Emergency Decree detainees and included provisions to address
their situation. He said he was unable to provide any
details on the solution the drafting committee developed.

6.(C) Mohsen told us that portions of the text of the new CT
law have been seen by "experts" with whom the drafting
committee consulted, but said that the complete text had not
been circulated outside of the government. He denied that a
purported version of the draft law published in the
independent newspaper Al Masry Al Youm on February 20, 2008
was accurate.

7.(SBU) As the May 31 expiration date for the Emergency Law
approaches, the media's focus on the issue has intensified.
On May 6, according to media reports, the vice-president of
the government sponsored National Council on Human Rights
(NCHR),Kamal Abdel Magd, objected to the possibility that
Parliament will approve the new CT law before the NCHR
reviews it, in violation of an alleged GoE agreement with the
NCHR. NGO's have begun to campaign against an extension of
the Emergency Law with a coalition of 24 human rights
organizations releasing a statement on May 7 labeling the old
law "an obstacle to comprehensive reform" and urging
President Mubarak not to extend it.
SCOBEY