Hegazy: Curfew hours may be decreased

Presidential adviser Mostafa Hegazy has revealed that the government is considering further decreasing curfew hours to start at 11 pm, as well as lifting the state of emergency altogether, state-run Al-Ahram reported.

During a conference organized by Beltone Financial Wednesday, Hegazy said that should the state of emergency be lifted, security measures will be taken to ensure that “armed militias” are no longer present in Egyptian society.

Hegazy said the country is working on overcoming the economic challenges it currently faces, adding that the security situation is already improving, making way for economic development. 

The Cabinet implemented a curfew after the forcible dispersal on August 14 of the Rabea al-Adaweya and Nahda Square sit-ins calling for the reinstatement of former President Mohamed Morsi. During the dispersals and the nationwide clashes that followed, over 600 people were killed and thousands injured.

The curfew applies to 14 governorates, including Cairo, Alexandria and Fayoum.

Observers have warned of the damaging effects the of curfew which involves shutting down the railways from Cairo to Alexandria and Aswan, particularly on health care provision, food stocks and prices and job security

Earlier this week, the curfew hours across most of the affected governorates were decreased, starting at 9 pm instead of 7 pm.