14 September 2011

State Dept Bigamist Love of Another Killer Military, Egypt's

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2011/09/172309.htm

[Reporter] QUESTION: -- a policy matter. The Supreme Military Council yesterday, I believe, moved to extend or to revive the emergency law and to extend its application to categories of behavior that previously had not been covered, including spreading false information, which is something that is often a tool used to go after journalists. It could also be used to go after the U.S. Government for the Ofer Brothers original press release. And also – I’m just giving you an example of how saying things like this can get misused. And also, for example, demonstrations that cause traffic jams, which if you’ve ever been to Cairo are kind of endemic.

Do you have a view – the U.S. Government, as you well know, called for the scrapping of the emergency law. It was subsequently scrapped. It’s now been revived. Is this good, because maybe embassies will be better protected? Or is this bad because you now have the re-imposition of the law, which can be misused to violate people’s rights?

[State Dept] MS. NULAND: Arshad, I’m going to tell you, honestly, I’m going to take that one for today and come back to you tomorrow, because it is a question that deserves a concerted and serious answer, and I just don’t have what I need today.

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Egypt: Emergency Law (Taken Question)

Taken Question
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2011/09/172309.htm

September 13, 2011

QUESTION: What is the view of the U.S. Government regarding the Supreme Military Council move to revive the emergency law and to extend its application to categories of behavior that previously had not been covered?

ANSWER: Egypt's transitional government, led by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), has committed itself to carrying out a transition to the free and fair election of a civilian-led government. Critical components of this transition process are rule of law and a respect for human rights. As such, we have encouraged the transitional government to lift the state of emergency immediately. Moreover, we believe that the trials of accused civilians appropriately belong in Egypt's civilian courts. The SCAF has said publicly they are prepared to eliminate the emergency law as soon as conditions permit, and before parliamentary elections. We have repeatedly encouraged them to do so.