News Manager
Milforums News Bot
By Maggie Fick CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's president signed a new bill into law on Sunday restricting rallies and other public gatherings, a move likely to raise fresh questions about the army-backed government's democratic credentials. Thousands of anti-government protesters were on the streets of Cairo and other cities when the new bill was announced on state media, as they have been regularly in the nearly three years since autocrat Hosni Mubarak was ousted. "This is quite dangerous ahead of elections - in normal times also, but (particularly) ahead of elections," said Ziad Abdel Tawab of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights, adding it could disrupt public meetings including debates and rallies. President Adli Mansour's approval of the law came as a 50-member committee prepared to vote on an amended constitution that will be put to a referendum expected in coming months.More...