Egypt
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- there have been various constitutions; the latest was approved by the constitutional committee in December 2013 and by the people in the referendum of January 14-15, 2014, then ratified by the interim President on January 19, 2014
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on English, Islamic, and Napoleonic systems
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral system of the House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab); 596 seats; 448 members directly elected by a majority mechanism, 120 members - with quotas for women, youth, Christians, and workers - elected from lists, and 28 members appointed by the President; the legislature lasts 5 years
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) is composed of the president and 10 judges, serving as the final instance on issues of constitutionality of laws and conflicts between lower courts regarding jurisdiction and rulings; Court of Cassation (CC), composed of the President and 550 judges organized into circuits, is the highest level of appeal for civil and criminal proceedings, referred to as "ordinary"; the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) - is composed of the President and organized into circuits
- DEATH SENTENCES
- 16 confirmed by the Court of Cassation and 4 by the Supreme Military Court
RELIGIONS
90% Muslims; 9% Copts, 1% Christians
From the country
NOVEMBER 26, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 7 DEATH SENTENCES HANDED DOWN ON TERROR CHARGES
An Egyptian court on 25 November 2019 handed down death sentences to seven people convicted of carrying out attacks that killed 11 policemen in 2016.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: ANDHRA PRADESH MAN GETS DEATH FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
A migrant worker from Srikakulam village in Andhra Pradesh has been sentenced to death by an Egyptian lower court for his alleged involvement in the smuggling of drugs, the New Indian Express reported on 22 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 19, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT SENTENCES MESMARY TO DEATH, 32 OTHERS TO PRISON FOR BAHARIYA OASIS ATTACK
An Egyptian military court on 17 November 2019 sentenced terrorist Abdel-Raheem al-Mesmary to execution by hanging and convicted 32 others in the Bahariya Oasis attack, which saw 16 security forces killed and 13 injured.
OCTOBER 28, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT SENTENCES MEMBER OF TERRORIST WARRAQ CELL TO DEATH
The Cairo Criminal Court on 26 October 2019 unanimously sentenced to death Adel Khalaf, who is involved in the case known as the terrorist "Warraq Cell".
OCTOBER 15, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: LIBYAN TERRORIST MISMARY SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Cairo Court on 13 October 2019 handed down a death penalty to the Libyan terrorist Abdel Rahim Mohamed Abdullah al-Mismary for involvement in the 2017 Western Desert shoot-out, which left 16 policemen killed and 13 others injured.
OCTOBER 14, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 6 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ATTACK ON HARAM HOTEL
The Giza Criminal Court on 12 October 2019 sentenced six out of 26 defendants to the death penalty over a 2016 terrorist attack on a hotel in Giza.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 7 DEFENDANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR AMBUSHING HELWAN MINIBUS IN 2016
The Cairo Criminal Court on 28 September 2019 sentenced seven defendants to death after they were charged with killing eight police officers in an armed attack in May 2016, in addition to other cases where officers were killed.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT REVOKES DEATH SENTENCE OF 8 DEFENDANTS IN TERRORISM CASE
The Court of Cassation on 26 September 2019 cancelled the death sentence issued against eight defendants in the case known in media as "terrorist Imbaba cell," but upheld life imprisonment sentence against four others in the case.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: 6 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR JOINING TERRORIST GROUP, MANUFACTURING EXPLOSIVES
A Damanhour criminal court in Egypt's Behiera governorate sentenced on 15 September 2019 six defendants to death, two to life in prison and acquitted eight others over charges of joining a terrorist group and manufacturing and possessing explosives.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: 6 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER FORMING 'KERDASA COMMITTEE' TERROR CELL
Giza Criminal Court handed down on 19 August 2019 a death penalty to six people over founding a terrorist group that aimed to disrupt the constitution and killing three persons including a policeman.
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2016 KILLING OF FOUR POLICEMEN
An Egyptian criminal court has sentenced three men to death for killing four policemen in Qalioubiya in 2016, ahram.org reported on 17 August 2019.
JUNE 20, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT SENTENCES TO DEATH 2 MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS IN BEHEIRA
Damanhour Criminal Court of Beheira Governorate has sentenced to death two members of the Muslim Brotherhood group and imprisoned three members on 10-year sentences and two members for three years.