The draft constitution approved by Egypt's Constituent Assembly two days ago poses serious human rights problems, the Ekklesia website reports today (December 2, 2012). Criticism has come from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty, and others over the past 24 hours.
The draft falls well short of protecting human rights and, in particular, ignores the rights of women, restricts freedom of expression in the name of protecting religion, and allows for the military trial of civilians.
"This document, and the manner in which it has been adopted, will come as an enormous disappointment to many of the Egyptians who took to the streets to oust Hosni Mubarak and demand their rights," commented Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
The constitution also fails to provide for the supremacy of international law over national law, raising concerns about Egypt's commitment to human rights treaties to which it is a state party.
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