Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has sent a contentious new criminal procedures bill back to parliament to address objections to several of its articles, his office said in a statement on Monday.
The president’s office said the bill, which was passed by parliament and sent for ratification on Aug. 26, was returned after numerous appeals to reconsider some of its provisions.
“The objected-to articles relate to considerations of governance, clarity, and realism,” the statement read. It said they require further study to provide “more guarantees for the sanctity of the home and the rights of the accused before investigation and trial bodies.”
Other concerns included the need to increase alternatives to pre-trial detention, remove any ambiguity in wording that could lead to multiple interpretations or practical problems, and to allow sufficient time for ministries and relevant authorities to implement the new mechanisms introduced in the bill.
The bill’s passage by parliament in April followed extensive debate and amendments to some of its articles, which had sparked widespread controversy amid accusations of privacy violations and concerns that they might conflict with the constitution.
Professional syndicates had objected to provisions that would allow authorities to monitor telephones and social media platforms.
Despite returning the bill, the president’s office praised the “venerable” parliament’s efforts in approving it and highlighted the new provisions it introduced for the first time. These include procedures for preventing accused individuals from travelling, placing them on watch lists, providing financial compensation for pre-trial detention in specific cases, and reducing its duration.
The new bill also introduced procedures for remote investigations and trials using information technology, witness protection measures, and international judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
