Group Blasts Mubarak's (Egypt) Anti-Terror Bill ("greatest erosion of rights in 26 years.") [View All]

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070318/D8NU8LI00.html

Group Blasts Mubarak's Anti-Terror Bill

Mar 17, 8:40 PM (ET)

By MAGGIE MICHAEL

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Amnesty International on Saturday urged Egypt's parliament to reject new constitutional amendments put forward by President Hosni Mubarak, particularly an anti-terror provision that the group called the "greatest erosion of rights in 26 years."

Parliament is due to vote Sunday on the amendments, which Mubarak's government, a top U.S. ally in the Mideast, has billed as aimed at boosting democracy. Opposition parties have denounced them as an attempt to ensure Mubarak's hold on power.

The legislature, dominated by Mubarak's ruling party, is expected to pass the 34 amendments, which would then be put to a referendum, expected in April.

One of the amendments is meant to replace emergency laws in place since the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, giving security forces sweeping powers to detain suspects and restrict public gatherings.

FULL story at link.