After Egypt’s parliament had approved the maritime demarcation deal between Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, tens of citizens in several areas in Cairo and Alexandria took to streets to protest the decision. About 16 political activists who opposed the transfer deal from different governorates were arrested on Wednesday in police raids that were held at the dawn. Qasr El Nile prosecution has just released eight of them on EGP 10,000 bail. The approved agreement by the Parliament terminates Egypt’s sovereignty over Red Sea Islands of Tiran and Sanafir and transferring them to be under the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia. In January, Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court issued a final verdict whereby it annulled the deal and announced it void. However, parliamentary speaker Ali Abdul Aal stated during a session that the court’s ruling will not be taken into consideration and the Parliament will discuss the agreement independently. Following the controversy that erupted by the time the Parliament approved the deal, the Commissioners Authority affiliated with Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) recommended that the Islands fall under Egypt’s sovereignty and the ruling of the administrative court is still valid. The recommendation…
Red Sea Islands: Protests, Arrests, and Ruling Declaring Transfer Void Still Valid
June 15, 2017
