The Egyptian Parliament has passed a draft-law to give senior military officers “restricted” immunity from prosecution and diplomatic status when traveling abroad.
The bill was endorsed by a majority of parliamentarians with only eight MPs in the 596-seat assembly voting against it.
It would come into effect once published in Egypt’s Official Gazette.
It stipulates granting immunity to officers for any action they might have carried out from July 2013 to January 2016, when the current Parliament started its first session about two months after it was elected, unless the Supreme Armed Forces Council opposes it.
The law also protects military officials named by a presidential decree from interrogation or prosecution for “any action committed” during this period.
Separately, the Parliament’s approval of a draft-law to offer citizenship to foreigners has stirred reactions.
The draft-law stipulates that foreigners staying in Egypt could get a stay-with-deposit visa by paying no less than 7 million Egyptian pounds (less than $400).
It also calls on the interior minister to grant the Egyptian nationality to foreigners who stay in Egypt with a deposit for at least five successive years.
Before becoming law, the draft bill would be the subject of further consultations at the Parliament and needs the final approval of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Head of Parliament’s defense and national security committee General Kamal Amer defended the law and said it grants incentives to foreigners to invest in the country.
However, Egyptian MP Haitham al-Hariri accused the government of "selling the Egyptian citizenship.”
