The head of the Freedom and Justice Party's bloc of parliamentarians in Egypt's People's Assembly, Hussein Ibrahim (Photo: AFP)
The head of the Freedom and Justice Party's bloc of parliamentarians in Egypt's People's Assembly, Hussein Ibrahim, stated on Saturday that the body has the authority to revise, amend or even annul any law issued by the military after Hosni Mubarak was ousted a year ago.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has been ruling Egypt during the transitional period since Mubarak's ouster on 11 February last year and has decreed various controversial laws.
Ibrahim insists that the review and repeal of the laws is a constitutional right. He carefully stated that that does not imply that all the laws should be reversed or annulled, but rather that they have the opportunity to reconsider them.
Also up for reconsideration, he claims, is the "Al-Azhar law." Al-Azhar is the Sunni Muslim world's religious authority and is based in Cairo.
The legislation in question determines the process by which the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and the high commissions of sheikhs in Al-Azhar are chosen and elected.
Laws affecting Al-Azhar were issued days before the start of the parliamentary session by SCAF and caused hot debate over its legitimacy. Some argue the military committee should have left the question up to parliament, so it could discuss the important topic and support Al-Azhar's independence from the state.
Several political powers have already requested parliament revise the laws issued by the military council during the transitional period, especially controversial laws like the criminalisation of strikes and sit-ins.
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