Egypt’s minister of religious endowments has warned against holding protests during the anniversary of the uprising that ended President Hosni Mubarak’s rule, the state news agency said, and suggested any unrest would violate Islamic law.
Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said during a meeting with officials in his ministry that maintaining stability and security is a priority.
He referred to a statement from Egypt’s grand mufti, the country’s highest religious authority, which said that any call for protests or destruction “is a full crime and illegal according to Shariah,” said MENA state news agency.
The uprising, which started on Jan. 25, 2011 and lasted 18 days, had raised hopes of a new era of democracy and greater economic opportunities in a country long dominated by men from the military and business and political elites who support them.
Instead it triggered turmoil and instability which hurt the economy, and the political landscape resembles the past.
Under the current rule, protesting without police permission is illegal.
The Muslim Brotherhood, has called for mass protests on Jan. 25, but it no longer seems capable of getting large numbers onto the streets. The Brotherhood says it is committed to peaceful activism.
Egypt says the Brotherhood and other groups such as Daesh are an existential threat and decisive action is needed to defeat them.
Source: Arab News