[JURIST] Egyptian legislators on Monday approved a bill [text, PDF, in Arabic] regulating the work of non-government organizations (NGOs), a move that many human rights organizations believe will severely curtail their ability to work within the region. The 89-article bill requires that NGOs achieve compliance under the law within six months [Ahram Online report] or face strict penalties. Some of the modifications include ensuring that “all data on financing sources, activities, protocols, and programmes” is reported to the government. The legislation restricts the work of NGOs in areas pertaining to political parties, bans political work, requires prior permission to conduct fieldwork or public opinion surveys, and establishes a national body to regulate the work of foreign NGOs. Rights groups have harshly criticized the bill, which has yet to pass a final vote [Reuters report].

Egypt has been internationally scrutinized in recent months over allegations of human rights infringements and free speech violations. Last month Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, warned [JURIST report] that the Egyptian government “seems to be systematically attacking civil society in an effort to silence its voice.” In September an Egyptian court froze assets [JURIST report] of five notable human rights activists and three NGOs for allegedly accepting foreign funds without governmental authorization. In July Amnesty International criticized [JURIST report] the Egyptian government for abducting and torturing hundreds of citizens during a crackdown on political activists and protesters. And in May the UN urged [JURIST report] the Egyptian government end its oppressive response towards human rights advocates in the country. The experts reported that Egypt has cracked down on protesters, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders in recent years by conducting mass arrests, using aggressive force and invading people’s privacy.