US WELCOMES EGYPT’S LIFTING OF STATE OF EMERGENCY

       Washington, 9 Muharram 1435/13 November 2013 (MINA) – The United States welcomed the lifting Tuesday of a three-months long state of emergency in Egypt, imposed Egypt’s military coup to its  president Mohamed Morsi.

       “We welcome the formal lifting of the state of emergency including the curfew,” said State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki, adding, “However, we would also note that the government is considering other legislation regarding security. We urge the government to respect the rights of all Egyptians.”

        An Egyptian court on Tuesday ordered an end to the state of emergency two days before it was set to expire on Thursday, Ahram Online reported as quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

        US officials had repeatedly called for the state of emergency to be lifted after it was imposed in mid-August as deadly unrest swept Egypt following military coup.

         The state of the emergency allowed the authorities to make arrests without warrants and gave security officials the right to search people’s homes.

         The end of the state of emergency would mean the end of the 01:00-05:00 curfew also in place.

         Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, in Cairo, said military officials there said they had not yet received an executive order to lift the curfew.

         The court decision comes despite the continued protests in different parts of the country.

         The state of emergency was declared on August 14, the day the Egyptian army — which had claimed an interim government — dispersed two Islamist protest camps, killing hundreds of protesters.

      In the days following, at least 1,000 people were killed, most of them Morsi supporters. (T/P09/P03)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)