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| Egyptian president imposes strict new anti-terror laws | Egyptian president imposes strict new anti-terror laws |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has approved stringent new counter-terrorism laws to fight a growing Islamist insurgency. | |
| The laws establish special courts and offer additional protection from legal consequences for military and police officers who have used force. | The laws establish special courts and offer additional protection from legal consequences for military and police officers who have used force. |
| They also impose the death penalty for anyone found guilty of setting up or leading a terrorist group. | They also impose the death penalty for anyone found guilty of setting up or leading a terrorist group. |
| Rights groups say the legislation will be used by Mr Sisi to crush dissent. | Rights groups say the legislation will be used by Mr Sisi to crush dissent. |
| Egypt is in the grip of a two-year insurgency by Islamist groups that aim to topple Mr Sisi's government. | Egypt is in the grip of a two-year insurgency by Islamist groups that aim to topple Mr Sisi's government. |
| The Egyptian president vowed back in June to bring in tough new legislation, following the assassination by car bomb of a public prosecutor. | |
| Under the laws introduced on Monday, trials for suspected militants will be fast-tracked through special courts. Anyone found guilty of joining a militant group could face 10 years in prison. | Under the laws introduced on Monday, trials for suspected militants will be fast-tracked through special courts. Anyone found guilty of joining a militant group could face 10 years in prison. |
| Financing terrorist groups will also carry a penalty of life in prison, which in Egypt means a term of 25 years. Inciting violence or creating websites deemed to spread terrorist messages will carry sentences of between five and seven years. | Financing terrorist groups will also carry a penalty of life in prison, which in Egypt means a term of 25 years. Inciting violence or creating websites deemed to spread terrorist messages will carry sentences of between five and seven years. |
| The laws also allow the government to fine journalists $25,000 for contradicting official accounts of militant attacks. The original draft of the law was amended following domestic and international outcry after it initially called for imprisonment. | The laws also allow the government to fine journalists $25,000 for contradicting official accounts of militant attacks. The original draft of the law was amended following domestic and international outcry after it initially called for imprisonment. |
| Rights groups have warned that the legislation could be used to crush dissent, lock up opponents and impose further restrictions on freedom of expression. | Rights groups have warned that the legislation could be used to crush dissent, lock up opponents and impose further restrictions on freedom of expression. |
| Hundreds of members of Egypt's security forces have been killed by militant attacks in the country's Sinai region. | Hundreds of members of Egypt's security forces have been killed by militant attacks in the country's Sinai region. |
| The insurgency has intensified since Mr Sisi, then chief of the army, ousted the Islamist former President Mohamed Morsi after mass protests against his rule in 2013. | The insurgency has intensified since Mr Sisi, then chief of the army, ousted the Islamist former President Mohamed Morsi after mass protests against his rule in 2013. |
| The most active insurgent group - known now as Sinai Province and before that as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis - has pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State militant group. | The most active insurgent group - known now as Sinai Province and before that as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis - has pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State militant group. |
| Mr Sisi has overseen a crackdown on Islamists, jailing thousands of alleged Islamist supporters have been jailed and sentencing scores to death, including Mr Morsi. | Mr Sisi has overseen a crackdown on Islamists, jailing thousands of alleged Islamist supporters have been jailed and sentencing scores to death, including Mr Morsi. |
| The government claims that the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group. The Brotherhood says it is committed to peaceful activism. | The government claims that the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group. The Brotherhood says it is committed to peaceful activism. |
| In February, Mr Sisi signed off on another anti-terrorism law that gave authorities sweeping powers to ban groups on charges ranging from harming national unity to disrupting public order. | In February, Mr Sisi signed off on another anti-terrorism law that gave authorities sweeping powers to ban groups on charges ranging from harming national unity to disrupting public order. |