Egypt's National Dialogue's Board of Trustees holds a meeting at National Training Academy. 6 July, 2024. Photo: Egypt's National Dialogue
According to a statement by the dialogue's board of trustees, an urgent agenda is being prepared for the topics not addressed in the first phase of the dialogue. The board said it would greatly emphasize proposing new legislation on pretrial detention.
In May 2023, when the National Dialogue was initiated, the dialogue's General Coordinator Diaa Rashwan stated that “pretrial detention, in my opinion, will be one of the most important outcomes of the dialogue".
Rashwan added that the dialogue received many draft bills to amend the pretrial detention provisions in the penal code and criminal law.
In March 2024, Egypt's House subcommittee issued a draft of the proposed new Code of Criminal Procedures, adding and amending key provisions, including reducing the maximum duration of pretrial detention. According to the proposed law, pretrial detention in crimes that carry the death penalty or life imprisonment will be limited to 18 months rather than two years.
The amendments also reduce the maximum period of pretrial detention for misdemeanours from six months to four. For felonies, however, the amendments suggested reducing detention from 18 months to 12.
Furthermore, the draft legislation stipulates approaching pretrial detention as a precaution rather than a punishment. It also suggested finding alternatives to such detention, according to a statement by the subcommittee.
Since President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called for a national dialogue in April of last year, the Public Prosecution has released hundreds of pretrial detainees, and the president pardoned tens serving prison sentences.
The board also indicated that urgent issues requested by the government would be prioritized and discussed with complete freedom, including the new Thanaweya Amma (high school) system and transitioning from in-kind subsidy to cash subsidy.
During the meeting, the board announced that it would convene again next Saturday to finalize the agenda for these pressing topics.
This is the first dialogue session to be held following the formation of the new cabinet to prepare for launching a new round of the National Dialogue.
The National Dialogue was launched in May 2023 upon a call from President El-Sisi to address Egypt's diverse political, economic, and social issues.
In August 2023, the first round of discussions concluded with recommendations later submitted to El-Sisi.
In January 2024, President El-Sisi called for launching a second round of the National Dialogue to tackle economic challenges.
During Saturday’s meeting, the board congratulated both Sectretary-General of the National Dialogue Mahmoud Fawzy on becoming the Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs and Political Communication and board member Maya Morsy on becoming the Minister of Social Solidarity.
Furthermore, the board thanked President El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for appointing two board members of the dialogue as ministers, which reflects the state's support for the National Dialogue.
The board also emphasized the importance of collaborating closely with the government to implement the outcomes of the dialogue's first round and maintain ongoing cooperation with the new ministers.
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