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
DECEMBER 27, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: AT LEAST 581 SENTENCED TO DEATH, 32 EXECUTED IN FIRST 11 MONTHS OF 2018
Over 30 people were executed and nearly 600 death sentences were issued in Egypt in the first 11 months of 2018, according to a report issued on 22 December 2018 by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).
- DECEMBER 5, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt: Karam Mohammed Abdel Radi executed for murder
5 December 2018: Karam Mohammed Abdel Radi executed for murder
- DECEMBER 4, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt: 5 people executed in Minya prison
4 December 2018: 5 people executed in Minya prison
DECEMBER 3, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: DEATH SENTENCES DROPPED AGAINST 2 CHARGED WITH PLANNING TO KILL ARMY OFFICERS
Egypt’s High Military Appeals Court accepted the petition filed by two defendants charged with membership in a cell that planned the assassination of army officers and politicians and committed other acts of violence and sabotage, middleeastmonitor.com re
- NOVEMBER 27, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST 10 OVER KILLING TOP PROSECUTOR
An Egyptian court on 25 November 2018 confirmed death sentence against 10 defendants over killing former public prosecutor in a bomb attack on his car in 2015, state-run Ahram newspapers reported on its website.
- NOVEMBER 26, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt: 5 defendants executed in Cairo prison
26 November 2018: 5 defendants executed in Cairo prison
- NOVEMBER 26, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: 17 ISLAMIC MILITANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR COPTIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH KILLINGS
17 Islamic militants were sentenced to death on 22 November 2018 for their role in multiple church bombings in Egypt that killed scores of Coptic Christians.
NOVEMBER 19, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: ONE SENTENCED TO DEATH, SIX TO 10 YEARS IN 'TANTA TERRORIST CELL' CASE
The Cairo Criminal Court on 17 November 2018 sentenced one defendant involved in the case of "Tanta Terrorist Cell" to death.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST 80-YEAR-OLD QURAN TUTOR
The Egyptian government has upheld a death sentence against Sheikh Abdel Halim Gabreel, an 80-year-old Quran tutor, with Amnesty International campaigning for him to receive a presidential pardon, middleeastmonitor reported on 13 November 2018.
NOVEMBER 12, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT OF CASSATION UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY FOR 7 CONVICTED OF KILLING POLICEMAN
An Egyptian top court upheld on 11 November 2018 a previous death sentence against seven defendants convicted of killing a policeman in 2013, official MENA news agen
NOVEMBER 9, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: EIGHT ISIS JIHADISTS ARE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DEADLY ATTACK AGAINST SOLDIERS
An Egyptian military court on 7 November 2018 sentenced eight ISIS fighters to death for a deadly attack against an army checkpoint in 2016.
NOVEMBER 8, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST TODDLER RAPIST IN FINAL RULING
A high Egyptian appeals court has upheld a death sentence against a man for raping a 20-month-old girl last year, a judicial source said on 7 November 2018, in a final ruling in a case that provoked widespread public outcry.