Authorities in Egypt offer to harsh punishment for offending of state's institutions
For the sake of protecting the prestige of state icons and institutions, the head of the Parliamentary Defense and National Security Committees, Kamel Amer, introduced on Monday a draft law to add harsher penalties for those who humiliate the President and the state's high-ranking officials, known as committting 'lèse majestéy', a French legal term meaning an offense that violates the dignity of a ruler.
By the same token, the draft law also suggests harsher penalties on those who humiliate the Parliament, army, police forces, and judiciary authorities, in addition to any state-run facilities; the added penalties include as well imprisonment.
During the era of the Muslim-Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohamed Morsi who was removed from power through the June 30 uprising, harsh penalties against those who humiliate the state's icons were activated in the constitution.
Following Morsi's ouster from power, the judicial counselor Adly Mansour was appointed as interim President of Egypt for one year. During his year in office, Mansour issued a decree to suspend the penalty of imprisonment mentioned in penal code over the President's humiliation, replacing it instead with paying a financial fine.
According to the suggested draft law, articles no. 179 and 184 of the penalt code currently followed in the 2014 constitution will be modified to include the penalty of imprisonment, in addition to a large financial fine.
Source: egyptindependent.com
