Egyptian parliament passes draft constitution

December 3, 2012

Parliament of Egypt passed the draft of country’s constitution amid protest. The document with more than 230 articles was voted article by article. The draft is being criticized for its vague language on human rights, minority rights and freedom of expression, as well as its concentration on enshrining sharia law as the basis for legislature. It also safeguards army privileges that revolutionary forces want annulled, including the ability to try civilians in military courts.
The draft will now be put before country for referendum. In case, if the draft gets rejected, it would be returned to the drafting committee. Morsi and the drafting committee will keep the extraordinary powers until a constitution is passed and a parliament is elected.

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