Nour Party has reservations about drafting constitution

Nour Party head Younis Makhyoun expressed reservations about the constitution amendment process in a press conference convened today with interim presidential spokesperson Ahmed al-Moslemany

Moslemany meanwhile said that Egypt needs to renew its political elite and to stand up to “new and old colonialist powers” who he said “desire the collapse of the Egyptian state.”

He added that Islam “did not enter Egypt with deposed President Mohamed Morsi and that it will not exit Egypt [with his removal].”

For his part, Nour Party head Makhyoun stressed that his party’s priority is ensuring that the police state does not reemerge and that freedom of opinion and expression are protected.

Commenting on the constitution amendment process currently in process, Makhyoun said that his party believes the government “put the horse before the cart” by beginning with an initial group of 10 experts who would then refer their amendments to a committee of 50. The process should have been the other way around, he said, because those in the larger committee are not legal experts but popular figures.

He reiterated his party’s rejection of the removal of articles concerning identity such as Article 219 concerned with the principles of sharia law, and called for more transparency in the committee’s work.

Makhyoun said that no party or group should be excluded from political life, at the same time as individuals responsible for committing or inciting acts of violence should be brought to account.

He called for an end to the use of violence against peaceful protesters and on protesters not to resort to violence.

Makhyoun stressed the importance of forming a fact-finding committee to investigate deaths of pro-Morsi protesters at the hands of the military and security forces, including on July 8 at the Republic Guards, during the dispersal of the Rabea al-Adaweya sit-in, as well as detainees in a prison van earlier this month.

The Nour Party head also said that the Egyptian military is a red line and that it is the only remaining army left after the collapse of the Iraqi and Syrian militaries. Those banking on the destruction of the Egyptian army are traitors, he said.

On national reconciliation, Makhyoun said that sacrifice is required by all parties. He also joined the chorus condemning recent comments by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the head of Al-Azhar, describing them as “unacceptable.”

After some confusion about the involvement of the Nour Party in the process of amending the constitution, the party clarified that it decided to partake in the process so it could join other political parties who seek to maintain the January 25 revolution’s achievements, and to preserve Egyptian identity.