Security measures amid calls to protest Tiran, Sanafir verdict

CAIRO – 14 June 2017: High security measures were set in all of Egypt’s governorates in anticipation of the Parliament’s final decision on the Tiran and Sanafir deal on Wednesday.

According to statements reported by Al-Masry Al-Youm, downtown Cairo near the Parliament building is where most security measures were taken after noticing several calls on social media for demonstrations.

Under the Emergency Law that was declared by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi for three months in April firm responses will be taken by security forces to counter protests.

After a three-day discussion inside the Parliament’s Legislative Committee regarding the maritime boundary deal with Saudi Arabia, it was approved with majority of 35 votes on Tuesday.

Two different judicial decrees have been issued regarding Tiran and Sanafir islands. “Saying that the two islands are Egyptian is not a matter of question,” the Supreme Administrative Court stated in its ruling on January 16.

Then, in April, the Court of Urgent Matters accepted the case filed against the ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court and ruled the islands agreement is valid.

A presidential decree was revealed during the Parliamentary sessions, that was signed by former President Hosni Mubarak in 1990 regarding the maritime boundaries with Saudi Arabia, saying that Tiran and Sanafir are not part of the Egyptian territory.

The Tiran and Sanafir agreement was signed by Sisi and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on April 8, 2016, during a visit to Cairo that lasted for five days.