Cairo: Discussion of civil organization law starts today

The Egyptian parliament began today discussion of a new proposed law to specify means of creating and regulating civil assemblies and organizations and the scope of these organizations' activities and financing methods.

The government stated that the new law will be a compromise between those calling for absolute freedom and the supporters of strict limits.

Some organizations accused the law of imposing limits that cancel their activities and prohibit the practice of union and political activity, under the threat of penal law.

Factional sources stated that there is a new initiative aimed at containing the dispute arising from the new law and that there are contacts between some prominent personalities in the field of civil work and governmental circles concerning the amendment of some items of the project that create administrative concerns.