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The military tribunal trial for the 33 leaders of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) was adjourned to July 15. The military court refused to release on bail Khairat Al-Shater, second deputy leader of the MB. Further, the authorities did not allow the media or international observers, including former US general attorney Ramsey Clark into the trial location.
The speaker of the People's Assembly (PA) declared that the lower House will pass a new law concerning the building and repair of places of worship. The new law aims at creating a unified law for all places of worship of the three national religions of Egypt: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It is currently easier for Muslims to build places of worship. The PA is to base the new law on the recommendation of the National Council of Human Rights.
The newly created Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth (EULY) elected its first board of directors on June 1st, 2007. Thirteen candidates run for the ten board seats. EULY is an initiative to unite the efforts of Liberal Youth in Egypt regardless of their party or non-party affiliations.
In early May hundreds of public transport workers went on strike to protest their poor remuneration. The workers complained that their salaries do not exceed LE 500 ( around US $ 90 ) a month after ten years in service. On May 2d they prevented 250 buses from resuming their duties.
Presidents of two Judges Clubs from the provinces made an attempt to split from the main Judge's Club headquartered in Cairo. The plan aimed at making creating a federation of Judges Clubs nation wide, hence diminishing the role of the main Club in Cairo. However, Judges from Asyut- one the the two rebel Clubs- challenged the Club's president to withdraw his project and stay loyal to Cairo's headquarters or else vote him out of office. The president of the Asuyt Club sent apologies to the Judges at the end of May.
Reformist Judges consider that this to be the regime's attempt to implode the Judge's Club because of the Judges's positions on independence of the Judiciary and democracy.
The jailed leader of the Ghad- Tomorrow- Party suffered 16 injuries on May 12. Nour accused the authorities of inflicting these injuries as part of his generally poor treatment in jail. The authorities are investigating Nour's complaints. Pictures of the injuries were published in the Ghad party website.
On May 7th, 2007 the Higher Committee of the Wafd Party decided that the party will not participate in the Shura Council- Upper House- elections due to start on June 11, 2007. The Wafd party refuses to participates the Upper House elections as long the House does not have real legislative powers. The party also raised concerns on the new laws on electoral supervision perceived as not being conducive to fair elections.
Sectarian clashes erupted in the Giza village of Bamha on May 11, 2007 over the construction of a Church. A plot of land and rumor concerning the building of a Church without proper permit seems to be behind the clashes. On the Coptic side, there were 11 injured, 25 houses and 5 shops burned down. The village priest accused the Mosque's Imam of sparking this sedition- a first in the 6000 inhabitant village.
A controversial reconciliation session took place as it did not settle the issue of compensating for damaged properties. The Pope Shenouda III asked the Copts to accept reconcilation and reject compensation, which angered many Copts.
Dr Ahmed Hussein Egueza, who served a 15 year jail sentence, declared that he is joining the revisionists in the Egyptian Jihad Organization. He mentioned that the ideologue and founder of the Egyptian Jihad Organization, Dr Sayid Imam Al-Sherif, is leading this initiative. The Egyptian Jihad Organization was considered to be a model for groups such as al-Qaida, whose deputy chief- Dr Ayman Zawahri- was once a leading figure. Al-Zawahri opposes the revisionist trend in the Egyptian Jihad organization.
On May 24, the government controlled Parties Committee agreed on the creation of a new party, the Democratic Front (DF). The DF has a liberal ideology and is founded by former NDP reformers. It is the 24th political party in Egypt and the third liberal party after the Wafd and the Ghad- Tomorrow - Party.
