AsiaNews.it
Blitz of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists: Sharia is the main source of law
Art. 2 of the new constitution voted in record time, it subordinates the law to the exact dictates of the dictates of the Koran. The House voted despite the boycott of the liberal parties, the Coptic Orthodox Church and other realities of civil society. The session was attended by only 85 members out of 100.
Cairo (AsiaNews) - In record time, the Egyptian Constituent
Assembly dominated by Islamists has approved Art. 2 of the draft constitution. Sharia is the main source of law. The session was attended by only 85 members out of 100. Absent most of the delegates of the democratic parties and
representatives of the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches. The leadership of the Assembly have replaced only 11 of the 30
seats allocated to secular parties. In recent weeks the latter had boycotted the Assembly, accusing it
of failing to represent Egyptian society in a balanced way. In the coming days, the delegates will vote on the remaining 232
articles of the new text.
Begun this morning, the
voting took place in an atmosphere of high tension. Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of people took to the main
streets of the country to protest against President Mohamed Morsi and the
Muslim Brotherhood.
In a surprise move, the
Islamist leader has assumed extraordinary powers including the right to
dissolve the constituent body, himself replacing the Constitutional Court,
which has remained one of the few institutions free from the hegemony of
Islamic extremists.
To date, the Salafis and
the Muslim Brotherhood, who emerged victorious from the parliamentary elections
which ended last January, have been able to change the first article of the
constitution by adding the word "shura" - a term used in the Qur'an
to establish advisory bodies - in the part referring to the democratic foundation of the
country. The amendment to Art.2 with the explicit juridical reference to
Koranic law marks a turning point in the country and threatens the large Coptic
Christian minority, which accounts for about 10% of the Egyptian population, and
also threatens freedom of expression and of dress. In the previous constitution, Sharia was mentioned, but judges were supposed
only to adhere to the principles of Islamic law.
AsiaNews sources explained
that in the new Art. 2, the principles
have been replaced by the sayings of the Koran. In this way, Egypt is moving away from a more modern view of law and
closer to that of many Gulf monarchies, such as Saudi Arabia. "If the Constitution passes the referendum planned for the
coming months - sources said - a grown man can marry a girl of 6 years, or have
several wives. Women will be forced to wear the veil. Christians are in danger
of not being able to practice their faith freely."
Meanwhile, tensions rise
for the big event organized by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis in support of
President Morsi that, according to the Islamists, should gather millions of
people. The Ministry of Interior has increased security measures to
prevent any clashes with protests organized by the secular movements, the
protagonists of the demonstrations of these days and of several attacks against
the headquarters of the Justice and Freedom Party (Muslim Brotherhood). (SC)
_1129_-_Costituzione.jpg){kind=small}
Cairo (AsiaNews) - In record time, the Egyptian Constituent
Assembly dominated by Islamists has approved Art. 2 of the draft constitution. Sharia is the main source of law. The session was attended by only 85 members out of 100. Absent most of the delegates of the democratic parties and
representatives of the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches. The leadership of the Assembly have replaced only 11 of the 30
seats allocated to secular parties. In recent weeks the latter had boycotted the Assembly, accusing it
of failing to represent Egyptian society in a balanced way. In the coming days, the delegates will vote on the remaining 232
articles of the new text.