Egypt’s state of emergency will be lifted for the first time in years, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday.
A state of
emergency was imposed in April 2017 after deadly bombings of churches and has
since routinely extended at three-month intervals, despite an improved security
situation.
“Egypt has
become an oasis of security and stability in the region. Hence it was decided
for the first time in years, to cancel the extension of the state of emergency
in all areas of the country,” Mr Sisi wrote in a Facebook post.
The state
of emergency granted authorities sweeping powers to make arrests and crackdowns
on what they call enemies of the state.
It was
applied during the extension of a clamp-down on political dissent under Mr Sisi
that has swept up liberal as well as Islamist critics over the past few years.
Egypt’s
security forces have also been battling an insurgency by militants linked to
Islamic State in northern Sinai, although they have recently consolidated their
position in the area.
Prominent
Egyptian activist Hossam Bahgat welcomed the decision, saying it would stop the
use of emergency state security courts, although it would not apply to some
high-profile cases already referred to such courts.
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