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
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: THREE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Egyptian court has sentenced three members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood to death and awarded
SEPTEMBER 29, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: SINAI MILITANTS' DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD
The terrorism department of an Egyptian criminal court upheld the ruling to sentence to death the Sinai-
SEPTEMBER 23, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: PRESIDENT AL SISI PARDONS TWO JAILED AL JAZEERA REPORTERS
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi pardoned two imprisoned Al Jazeera journalists, resolving a case
SEPTEMBER 17, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: TWO YEARS OF TERROR, 1,695 DEATH SENTENCES SINCE 2013
Egypt has seen 7 death sentences carried out and 246 overturned, with a further 433 still subject to appeal,
SEPTEMBER 15, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 8 BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Egypt's Minya Criminal Court handed down a death sentence in absentia to eight members of the outlawed
SEPTEMBER 12, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: COURT RATIFIES 'ISIS' DEATH SENTENCES
A court in Egypt ratified death sentences for 12 people convicted of planning attacks on behalf of ISIS.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 9 MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Nine convicts, allegedly belonging to the outlawed Muslim brotherhood, were sentenced to death by
- AUGUST 15, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTY
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi enacted a new counterterrorism law that increases authorities’ power to
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi enacted a new counterterrorism law that increases authorities’ power to
- JULY 11, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: 464 DEATH SENTENCES IN FIRST YEAR OF SISI'S RULE
The Egyptian Observatory of Rights and Freedoms has reported that both Egyptian military and civilian courts issued 92,420 sentences against Egyptian citizens during the first year of Abdul-Fatah Al-Sisi's rule, including 464 death sentences.
JULY 9, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 14 MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
14 members of Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood were sentenced to death in two separate terrorism-related cases.
JULY 4, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: ‘TERRORIST CELL’ MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH, LIFE BY GIZA CRIMINAL COURT
The Giza Criminal Court sentenced one defendant to death and another to life in prison, for forming a
- JUNE 16, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST EX PRESIDENT MORSI UPHELD
An Egyptian court upheld a death sentence handed to former President Mohammed Morsi -- the harshest ruling yet against Egypt's first democratically-elected president since he was overthrown by the military in 2013.