Amnesty International (AI) criticized on Wednesday draft laws that were proposed to the Shura Council for legislation in Egypt, explaining that they may “severely restrict the work of independent civil society organizations and limit freedom of assembly.” 

Egypt’s upper house of parliament, the legislature until the election of a new House of Representatives, is currently discussing a law proposed by the Ministry of Local Development that, according to AI, would impose stricter restrictions on civil society bodies “including on registration, activities and obtaining foreign funding.”

The Shura Council will also be discussing a proposal by the Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs to impose governmental supervision on the activities of NGOs, and require permits to conduct field research, polls, etc. 

The draft law, which was criticized by over 20 rights groups, also suggests that violators of these conditions be imprisoned for one to three years and fined. 

Head of the legal committee of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm, had told Reuters that restrictions on foreign funding are necessary to prevent Egypt’s enemies from scheming plots against it as well as money laundering. 

Several NGOs faced a crackdown following Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, under the rule of the military council that managed the transition period until Mursi’s election. 

Another law that is also under discussion by the council concerns protests and, according to AI, puts restrictions on freedom of assembly by requiring bureaucratic procedures that give the state too much control over the nature of demonstrations.  

This draft law, which allows security forces to use riot-control methods including water cannons, tear gas and batons, is “a major setback and a betrayal of all those who stood up for human rights in the January uprising,” said AI’s Philip Luther.