Egypt's Constitution Party joins ongoing hunger strike against protest law
Ahram Online, Thursday 11 Sep 2014
The liberal party demands the release of all political detainees and the cancellation of a protest law which has put dozens of activists in jail


Egypt's Constitution Party said Thursday it has started a partial hunger strike in solidarity with other detained hunger strikers.

The party reiterated its demands of releasing political detainees and cancelling a controversial protest law, which was passed late last year and only allows demonstrations approved by the authorities.

A statement from the party said the law is not fitting for a country that has gone through two waves of popular revolts: one that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and another that prompted the military removal of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

A statement by the group sent to reporters said that nine of the party's members are currently detained on charges of breaking the protest law.

"All the demonstrations in which Constitution Party members participate are peaceful," the statement said. "The police instigate violence against peaceful protesters."

They said some protesters have been held since January in remnant detention that has been automatically extended in a way that the party says echoes the infamous emergency law used during the Mubarak era to crackdown on dissent.

"Freedom for political prisoners, freedom for the youth of the 25 January revolution," the party demanded.

The hunger strike campaign has been gaining momentum recently, with more joining the strike outside and inside prison.

So far, 132 Egyptians are currently on hunger strike both inside and outside of detention, according to Freedom for the Brave, a movement calling for the release of political detainees.

A number of political parties have declared their support with the hunger strike campaign including the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Strong Egypt Party, the Egyptian Popular Current and the Karama Party.


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