The draft anti-terrorism law, which awaits presidential approval to come into effect, imposes an “indefinite, undeclared state of emergency and establishes an exceptional, parallel judiciary,” 17 rights groups said on Tuesday. “We fear that the state’s strategy for countering violent extremism is only exacerbating it and relies on blocking legitimate outlets for the expression of opinion,” the civil society groups said in a joint statement. The controversial law was approved by the Cabinet in a meeting on July 1, a day marred by deadly violence in North Sinai, after militants launched a failed attempt to take over a town. Attacks on that day claimed the lives of at least 17 army personnel, according to military figures, marking a new escalation against Egypt’s security forces. The law’s approval came one day after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vowed to amend laws, saying the hand of “prompt justice” is “tied” with laws, but “we will work on amending the law to achieve justice.” THE DEFINITION OF TERRORISM The rights groups insist that they completely reject “violent extremism” but add that the law itself uses “vague” and “ill-defined” terms, when it comes to the…
