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See - Sada Elbalad
10-05-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Old Rent.. Between Justice and Humanity
Elham Aboul Fateh The Old Rent Law, an exceptional law issued during World War II, allowed the state to intervene in the relationship between landlord and tenant. Since its issuance, it has been a matter of debate. It was issued under exceptional circumstances resembling martial law, specifically with the implementation of the Exceptional Rent Law in 1944. It was subsequently amended by Law No. 121 of 1947, and interference in the rental relationship continued to a greater extent after the July 1952 Revolution. Amendment No. 21 of 1992 further distorted the relationship between landlord and tenant. Years ago, I Launched a campaign in Al-Akhbar newspaper against old rents. During the campaign, I met with a number of buildings' owners in areas such as Zamalek and Garden City. These were luxury buildings overlooking the Nile, but their revenues were insufficient even for their maintenance. Most of the tenants were retired, and their pensions were only enough to pay the rent, which did not exceed a few pounds. This skewed reality has always been a subject of debate, especially after the Supreme Constitutional Court's 2002 ruling, which declared certain provisions of non-residential rental laws unconstitutional. This ruling was considered the beginning of a reconsideration of the entire system. The exceptional law issued in 1961 had established lifetime rental relationships and even passed them on to the second and third generations, creating a state of stagnation that lasted for decades. Well, we need to protect the landlord's rights and grant him the right to benefit from his property, but at the same time, we cannot ignore the reality of the tenant who has lived in this apartment for decades, settled there, and has no alternative. Law No. 4 of 1996 was issued, opening the door to fixed-term rental contracts with new terms. This meant we now had two laws, which is unconstitutional, as all Egyptians are equal before the law. The issue is not just legal, but also social and humanitarian, and requires realistic solutions. Many of these property owners have become millionaires on paper, while tenants in very upscale neighborhoods pay symbolic rents that are disproportionate to the reality. Today, the old rent law is before the Parliament once again to discuss this thorny humanitarian issue. I hope we can reach a just and humane law, which is a difficult equation. read more Analysis- Turkey Has 0 Regional Allies... Why? Analysis: Russia, Turkey... Libya in Return For Syria? Analysis: Who Will Gain Trump's Peace Plan Fruits? Analysis: Will Turkey's Erdogan Resort to Snap Election? Analysis: What Are Turkey's Aspirations in Iraq? Opinion & Analysis Analysis: Mercenaries In Libya... Who Should Be Blamed? Opinion & Analysis Analysis- How 'Libya Nightmare' Takes Erdogan to Algiers Opinion & Analysis Analysis: What Happens After Brexit? Opinion & Analysis Analysis: Strategic Significance of Libya's Sirte, Jufra! News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
Egypt Independent
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Up to 60 days to issue amendments on the old rent law in Egypt
In a long-awaited development, the government has submitted a bill to amend a law concerning old rents to the House of Representatives, aiming to address a long-running crisis impacting the lives of millions, both tenants and landlords. This came after an official announcement by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during a press conference held after the weekly cabinet meeting, stressing that the new amendments will take into account all social dimensions and achieve fair balance between the two parties in the rental relationship. Madbouly said that the state has complied with the Supreme Constitutional Court ruling requiring Parliament to issue the law before the end of the current legislative term, which reinforces the importance of expediting parliamentary discussion of the draft law. He added that the government drafted the law in coordination with all relevant ministries and submitted it to Parliament to initiate a broad community discussion that ensures that all views are heard. Countdown With the bill referred to the relevant committees, the constitutional deadline of 60 days for issuing the law has begun. This is the mandatory period within which the House of Representatives must complete discussion and vote on the bill. This deadline represents the final opportunity for Parliament to resolve one of the most complex and influential issues affecting Egyptians in recent years. Highlights of the amendments Among the most prominent features of the new draft law is the setting of a new rental value for housing subject to the old rent law, whether in cities or villages, with a transitional period of no less than five years. During this period, rental values will gradually increase, taking into account the social and economic dimensions of the population. The Prime Minister emphasized the existence of proposals to regulate this relationship, achieving a proper balance without harming either party. The draft law also includes regulations that ensure tenants are not immediately evicted or removed, while guaranteeing the right to housing for families in need by integrating them into social housing projects. Observers viewed this as a humane approach that takes into account the living conditions of many older tenants. Parliamentary committees begin discussion After referring the amendments on Old Rent Law to the House of Representatives, House Speaker Hanafi al-Gebaly announced the referral of the two draft laws submitted by the government to the joint committee of the Housing, Public Utilities, and Reconstruction Committee, and the offices of the Local Administration and Constitutional and Legislative Affairs committees. Gebaly said that Parliament will provide full opportunities for landlords and tenants to express their views with complete transparency. He emphasized that the draft law will not emerge from the House of Representatives unless it is a balanced legislative formula that guarantees the rights of all. Gebaly also tasked the joint committee with conducting a comprehensive community dialogue that includes the National Council for Human Rights, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, and some law professors and economic and housing experts. MPs reassure tenants MP Ahmed al-Segini, head of the House of Representatives' Local Administration Committee, confirmed that the new law will not aim to evict or expel tenants at this time, but rather seeks to regulate the legal relationship between the two parties and achieve fair rental values. 'The state, with all its institutions, will not allow anyone to leave their apartment without a solution that takes their circumstances into account.' Segini emphasized that the law will be issued in a manner that balances the requirements of social justice and the economy. He explained that Parliament maintains complete neutrality between the two parties, and that any legal solution must be accompanied by humanitarian solutions, especially for the elderly and those with limited income. Segini also emphasized the need to develop a comprehensive government vision before the law is issued. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
Ya Libnan
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Syria's new constitution ignores minority rights, makes Sharaa look like ISIS
Demonstrators in mainly Kurdish northeastern Syria wave Kurdish flags as they protest against the temporary constitution adopted by the interim government in Damascus. (DELIL SOULEIMAN Syria's new temporary constitution concentrates power in interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's hands and fails to include enough protections for minorities, experts warn. The declaration, signed into law on Thursday, establishes a five-year transitional period and follows the toppling of Bashar al-Assad's repressive government by Islamist-led rebels after nearly 14 years of civil war. 'The constitutional declaration grants absolute powers to the interim president,' said Sam Dallah, a constitutional law professor and former spokesperson for the drafting committee of the 2012 constitution, who left Syria after the outbreak of the civil war. He said it establishes 'a presidential-type regime', where executive power rests with the interim president and the ministers he appoints, and does not include a post of prime minister. Under the new framework, elections based on a new constitution will take place only after the transitional period. According to the temporary constitution, Sharaa 'appoints one-third' of the members of the future assembly and forms a committee to select the members of the electoral college that will elect the remaining parliamentarians. Although the document describes the judiciary as 'independent', it gives the interim president the power to appoint members of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the country's highest judicial authority. – 'Separation of powers' – 'If the president directly or indirectly chooses the members of the People's Assembly, appoints and dismisses ministers, and appoints the members of the Constitutional Court, what remains of the principle of the separation of powers?' asks Dallah. 'The concentration of powers in the hands of a single person will inevitably lead to the monopolization of decision-making,' the expert warned. One key change from the previous constitution is that Islamic jurisprudence is now described as 'the principal source' of legislation, rather than just 'a principal source'. Islam remains the religion of the head of state, Arabic is the sole official language and the constitutional declaration offers no guarantees or protections for Syria's minorities. This comes after the massacre of hundreds of civilians by the security forces in coastal Syria earlier this month, most of them members of the Alawite religious minority to which ousted President Bashar al-Assad belongs. – Minority fears – Hundreds of Kurds demonstrated in northeastern Syria on Friday against the constitutional declaration, which they say does not meet the aspirations of the country's minorities. The temporary constitution has faced criticism from the autonomous administration, which recently reached an agreement with the new authorities for the integration of its institutions into the state. The Kurds have rejected the declaration and 'any attempt to reproduce the dictatorship'. They called for 'a fair distribution of power', 'recognizing the rights of all Syrian components' and 'adopting a decentralized democratic system of government'. 'Minorities in Syria are extremely worried about the way things are going because everything suggests that the signs point to a gradual process of transformation of the Syrian Arab Republic into the Islamic Republic of Syria,' said Tigrane Yegavian, a professor at Schiller University in Paris. 'The only thing that could reassure minorities, who rightly feel threatened by the new regime, was a kind of federalization, with a guarantee of autonomy in education and justice,' he added. But lawyer Tarek al-Kurdi, a former member of the commission established by the UN in Geneva to draft a new constitution under Assad, said: 'The declaration came at a difficult time for Syria, after 54 years of dictatorship and 14 years of devastating war'. 'It must be approached realistically, as it cannot be compared to the constitutions of stable countries,' he told AFP. Sami Haddad , a Lebanese political analyst was quoted as saying : 'Sharaa appears to be another face for the Islamic state of Iraq and Syria or ISIS'. He went back to where he came from, when he was the head of Nusra. Sharaa is a huge disappointment for the Syrians and for their neighbors .They thought he will be better than the ousted dictator Bashar al Al- Assad, but sounds more like him . His constitution is a recipe for a divided Syria ' AFP/FRANCE24/ YL
CairoScene
05-02-2025
- Politics
- CairoScene
Key Features of Egypt's Proposed Personal Status Law
The draft law includes new provisions, such the mother becoming the primary guardian of children after the father's death. The Chairman of the Committee for Drafting the New Personal Status Law has announced the completion of the law's draft. The proposed law, which will soon be presented for public discussion involving all segments of society, introduces comprehensive regulations on matters such as engagement and its dissolution, marriage, divorce, visitation rights, alimony and other personal affairs. In formulating the law, the committee reportedly sought to incorporate diverse perspectives, legal precedents, and judicial interpretations from the Court of Cassation and the Supreme Constitutional Court. Here are some of its key features: Guardianship after the father's death: In the event of the father's death, the mother becomes the primary guardian of the children, taking precedence over the grandfather. The law allows the mother to use the children's funds for her maintenance under court supervision to ensure these rights are not abused. Reordering Custody Priorities: The father is given second place after the mother in custody priorities, rather than being in the 16th position as he was before. Previously, custody would first go to the mother, then the maternal grandmother, followed by the paternal grandmother, then the maternal aunt, and so on. However, it has been confirmed that in the new law, if the mother loses custody for any reason, it will now transfer directly to the father, then to the maternal grandmother, and then to the paternal grandmother. Visitation and hosting: The non-custodial parent can host the child for specified periods weekly and annually, with the possibility of overnight stays with a ceiling of 15 days a year. If the child is not returned to the custodial parent, the law imposes penalties such as severe imprisonment. The new law will also state that visitation has to be at least 10 hours per week. Streamlining divorce procedures: The law mandates that a divorce must be officially documented in court to ensure the rights of the wife and children. The husband can be penalised if he fails to register a verbal divorce within 15 days. In case of absent divorce, the Islamic marriage registrar has to inform the wife within 15 days. Custody age determination: The custody age remains at 15 years for boys and until marriage for girls, applicable to both Muslims and Christians. New legal procedures: A family care fund will be established to address expenses and challenges related to personal status matters. The new law requires that the judge inquire about the father's salary, including incentives, by contacting the employer. Previously, the law burdened the mother with providing this information to the judge.
