Egypt President Mursi defends new powers amid protests
BBC News online - 23 November 2012
President Mohammed Mursi: "I can't control legislative power"
President Mohammed Mursi has appeared before supporters in Cairo to defend a new decree that grants him sweeping powers.
He was speaking as thousands of opponents gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square and offices of the president's party were attacked in several cities.
The decree says presidential decisions cannot be revoked by any authority.
Speaking at a rally at the presidential palace in Cairo, Mr Mursi said he was working to secure a strong and stable nation, for which there was a "great future".
He said: "I am for all Egyptians. I will not be biased against any son of Egypt."
22 November declaration
- All investigations into the killing of protesters or the use of violence against them will be re-conducted; trials of those accused will be re-held
- All constitutional declarations, laws and decrees made since Mr Mursi assumed power cannot be appealed or cancelled by any individual, or political or governmental body
- The public prosecutor will be appointed by the president for a fixed term of four years, and must be aged at least 40
- The constituent assembly's timeline for drafting the new constitution has been extended by two months
- No judicial authority can dissolve the constituent assembly or the upper house of parliament (Shura Council)
- The president is authorised to take any measures he sees fit in order to preserve the revolution, to preserve national unity or to safeguard national security
Mr Mursi said he was the guardian
of political, economic and social stability and wanted to see a
"genuine opposition, a strong opposition".
Mr Mursi also vowed to defend the independence of the executive, judiciary and legislature and not issue decrees to settle scores.
But across the capital in Tahrir Square, thousands of the president's opponents heeded calls to demonstrate against the decree.
Chants of "Mursi is Mubarak... revolution everywhere" rang out.
There were clashes between protesters and police in the square, with tear gas fired at demonstrators and Molotov cocktails thrown in return.
According to Egypt's state-run news agency, Mena, three people were injured in violence in Cairo's central Mohammed Mahmoud street.
Offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood party have reportedly been attacked in the cities of Port Said and Ismailia.
The BBC's Jon Leyne says pro- and anti Mursi protests are taking place in Cairo
Protesters in the Mediterranean city stormed the offices of the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, throwing out books and chairs, and starting a fire.
Up to 2,000 demonstrators stormed the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Suez, while hundreds of people also protested against the new decree in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
In a joint news conference on Thursday, Sameh Ashour, head of a lawyers association, and key opposition figures Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa accused Mr Mursi of "monopolising all three branches of government" and overseeing "the total execution of the independence of the judiciary".
Egyptians give a mixed reaction to President Mursi's sweeping new powers
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says that after brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas over the Gaza crisis, Mr Mursi has won a new international prestige, and must believe this will help him weather the domestic storm.
The new decree bans challenges to his decrees, laws and decisions, and says no court can dissolve the constituent assembly, which is drawing up a new constitution.
It also opens the way for a retrial of people convicted of killings during Egypt's 2011 uprising which toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
Mr Mursi has sacked chief prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud and ordered the retrial of people accused of attacking protesters in the uprising, which could lead to the retrial of Mubarak himself, who is serving a life sentence.
Mr Mahmoud's acquittal of officers accused of involvement in attacks on protesters led to violent clashes in Tahrir Square in October, when supporters and opponents of Mr Mursi clashed.
New prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim is tasked with re-examining all the investigations led by Mr Mahmoud into the deaths of protesters, and re-trying people already acquitted in the case.
The declaration also gives the 100-member constituent assembly two additional months to draft a new constitution, to replace the one suspended after Mr Mubarak was overthrown.
The rewrite of the constitution, which was meant to be finished by December, has been plagued by lawsuits questioning the make-up of the constituent assembly.
Once completed, the document is due to be put to a referendum. If it is approved, legislative elections will be held two months later.
Labels: Communication, Conflict, Democracy, Egypt, Human Rights, Justice
posted by Pieface @ Friday, November 23, 2012
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