Penal Code

Article 90

Anyone who destroys any part of public buildings or property, or public buildings or property designated to governmental agencies or public utilities or institutions dedicated to the public good in a time of disturbance or civil strife, or with the aim of spreading terror or chaos amongst people, will be published by life imprisonment or imprisonment of between 3 – 15 years.

Article 136

Anyone who assaults a public employee or police officer or anyone commissioned with a public service, or who resists him using force or violence during the performance of his job or because of it, will be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine of not more than LE 200.

Article 137

Where violence occurs during the assault or resistance, or where it results in injury the penalty is a maximum of two years imprisonment or a fine of no more than LE 200.

Where the violence or injury is carried out using any weapons, sticks, tools, instruments or other implements or where the violence or injury has physical results exceeding those described in article 241, the penalty is imprisonment of no more three years.

Article 137 bis

The minimum punishment for the crimes described in articles 133, 136 and 137 is 15 days in relation to the penalty of imprisonment of less than three years and LE 10 for the fine where the victim is a public employee or is commissioned with the carrying out of a public service on the railways or other means of transport and was assaulted while the means of transport was in motion or parked at a station.

Article 162

Whoever deliberately destroys or damages any part of buildings, property or installations intended for the public good or decorative works of a memorial or artistic value, or who cuts down or damages trees planted in areas designated for worship, streets, recreation grounds, market or public squares will be punished with imprisonment of not more than three years or a fine of not less than LE 100 and not more than LE 500 or one of these two penalties. This is in addition to his being charged with paying the value of the things he destroyed, damaged or cut down.

Article 164

Whoever deliberately causes the disruption of telegraph communications by cutting conductor wires, breaking wire equipment, insulators or telegraph poles or through any other means will be punished by imprisonment without prejudice to his obligation to pay compensation for the damage.

Article 166

The provisions of the preceding three articles also apply to telephone lines installed by the government or whose installation is licensed for public use.

Article 167

Whoever deliberately endangers the security of public means of land, water or air transport or hinders their movement will be punished with imprisonment of between three and fifteen years or imprisonment¹.

Article 168

If injury of a nature described in article 240 or article 241 results from the act mentioned in the previous article the penalty will be imprisonment of between 3 and 15 years. Where the death of an individual results the perpetrator will be punished with the death sentence or life imprisonment.

Article 253

Whoever deliberately starts a fire in uninhabited buildings, ships, boats, industrial plants or warehouses not intended for habitation, or in fruit presses, markets, irrigation systems, forests, thickets or unharvested fields will be punished with imprisonment of between three and fifteen years where these objects are not his own property.

Article 314

Whoever commits theft using force will be punished with imprisonment of between three and fifteen years. Where the force results in injury the penalty will be life imprisonment or imprisonment of between three and fifteen years.

Article 315

Thefts which occur in public streets, whether inside or outside towns or villages, or inside a land, water or air means of transport in the circumstances described below will be punished with life imprisonment or up to fifteen years imprisonment:

1. Where the theft was committed by two or more people and at least one of them was bearing a visible or concealed weapon.
2. Where the theft was committed by two or more people using force.

Article 361

Whoever deliberately destroys or damages fixed or movable property not owned by him, or makes it unfit for use or renders it inoperable will be punished with imprisonment of not more than six months and a fine of not more LE 300 or by one of these penalties.

Where as a result of the act financial damage of LE 50 or more is caused the penalty will be imprisonment of not more than two years or a fine of not more than LE 500 or one of these penalties.

The penalty is imprisonment of not more than five years or a fine of not less than LE 100 and not more than LE 1000 where the act results in the hindering or stopping of the activities of a public utility or where it endangers people’s life, health or safety.

Article 366

Any act of ransacking of, or damage to, commodities, property or crops committed by a group or gang using force is punishable by imprisonment of between three and fifteen years or imprisonment.

Assembly Law

Article 1

Where the crowd, composed of at least five people, is of a nature to endanger the general peace and where policemen order the crowd to disperse and whoever he gives this order to refuses to obey it or ignores it, the punishment is imprisonment of not more than six months or a fine of not more than LE 20.

Article 2

Where the objective of the assembly composed of at least five people is to commit a crime or prevent or hinder the application of laws or bylaws, or where its objective is to affect the authorities’ carrying out of their activities or deprive someone of their freedom to work – regardless of whether these objectives were carried out using force or the threat of force – then anyone in the crowd who took part in the assembly and who is aware of its objective or did not distance himself from it after learning of its objective will be punished with imprisonment for a period of no more than six months or a fine of no more than LE 20.

The penalty is imprisonment of not more than two years or a fine of not more than LE 50 for whoever carries a weapon or an implement of a nature to cause death where it is used as a weapon.

Article 3

If the individuals, or one of the individuals making up the assembly described in the first paragraph of the previous article use force or violence the penalty may exceed that laid down in the first paragraph of the article referred to and increase to two years for every individual forming part of the assembly. The penalty of imprisonment laid down in the second paragraph of the article may be increased to three years for those carrying weapons or similar implements.

Where a crime is committed with the aim of carrying out the objective of the assembly, all those forming part of the assembly at the time the crime was committed bear criminal responsibility in their capacity as participants where it is proved that they carried out the act in order to realize the objective.

Article 3 bis

The minimum penalty for any crime is doubled where its perpetrators is a member of the assembly described in the first and second article. The penalty must not exceed fifteen years imprisonment with hard labor or twenty years imprisonment.

The penalty will be life or temporary fifteen years imprisonment with hard labor where those involved in the assembly deliberately destroy public buildings or property, government property, public utilities owned by public bodies or institutions or the economic units attached to them, public sector companies or legally recognized public benefit associations.

In all cases the criminal must pay the costs of the things he destroyed.

Article 4

Organizers of assemblies falling within the scope of article 2 of this law will be punished with the same penalties as individuals taking part in the assembly. They are criminally responsible for all acts committed by any of these individuals during the carrying out of the objective of the assembly even if thy are not present during the assembly or left before the act was committed.

Weapons and Ammunition Law

Article 1(1)

It is forbidden to possess or obtainment of the firearms listed in Table no.2 of the 1^st section of Table no.3 and the blades described in Table zhal (attached) without the authorization of the Interior Minister or whoever is deputizing for him.

Article 6

The possession or obtainment of ammunition used in weapons is forbidden except for those licensed to possess and obtain the weapon and where the ammunition is for use in weapons authorized under the provisions of this law.

Article 25 bis

Whoever, without a license, possesses or obtains one of the knife weapons listed in Table no. 1 will be punished by imprisonment of not less than one month and a fine of not less than LE 50 and not more than LE 500.

Article 26(1)

Whoever possesses or obtains, personally or through an intermediary, ammunition used in the weapons described in Tables numbers 2 and 3 will be punished by imprisonment and a fine of not more than LE 50.

Article 30

In circumstances other than those described in article 28 the weapons and ammunition forming the object of the crime will be confiscated. This is in addition to the penalties described in the preceding articles.

Table no. 1

List of knife arms:

1. Swords (other than fencing swords)
2. Bayonet blade
3. Dagger
4. Bows and arrows
5. Gazelle-horn pocket-knives
6. Cleavers, knives, other than where they are used for domestic or hotel purposes and where their use is in compliance with the law
7. Axes, chains, short swords, cutters, razorblades, personal deterrents, stun-guns, Duncan knives and any other tool used to assault people and where there is no basis in law for carrying, possessing or obtaining it and no work or trade-related justification.
8. Knuckledusters
9. Any equipment, tools, implements or products, of any shape containing sharp blades.

Table no. 2

Live ammunition firearms (refers to weapons which use live ammunition and is used to distinguish between these weapons and starting pistols).

Firearms with burnished barrels.

Table no. 3

Live ammunition firearms. This type of weapon is divided into two types.

Section 1

1. Single round revolvers
2. Single round manual loading live ammunition rifles.

Section 2

1. Guns and machine guns.
2. Semi-automatic rifles and hair-trigger rifles.
3. Automatic firearms.

Any equipment, tools, implements or products, of any shape resembling sharp knives.

Law of Communications

Article 1

The meaning of the following terms used in the application of the provisions of the law is as follows:

1. The National Agency for Communications Regulation
2. The minister concerned: the minister concerned with communications matters
3. Communications: Any means of sending, receiving symbols or signs, messages, writings, images or sounds of any kind and regardless of whether the communication is sent using wires or not.
4. Communications service: The provision or operation of communications regardless of the means used.
5. The communications network: The system or comprehensive group of communications systems comprising all aspects of the infrastructure necessary.
6. The user: Any natural or legal person who uses or benefits from communication services.
7. Communications service provider: Any natural or legal person licensed by the Agency to provide a communications service or services to others.
8. Operation: Any natural or legal person licensed by the Agency to provide a communications service or to operate communications networks or benefit from them.
9. Equipment: Any equipment, tools or used, or designated for use in, communications services.
10. End user communications equipment: Communications equipment owned by the user and with which he communicates with a public or private communications network
11. The infrastructure: All buildings, land, frameworks, tools, equipment, cables, towers, antennas, and poles, communications lines, information and programs, and all electrical power feeds of any kind used or designated for use in networks.
12. The private network: The communications systems which provide communications services to a single user in order to use the communications network without providing these services to others.
13. Wireless waves: Electro-magnetic waves used in wireless communications.
14. The frequency: The number of complete oscillations per second for a wireless wave.
15. The frequency spectrum: The bandwidth which may be used in a wireless communication according to the statements of the International Communications Union.
16. The frequency domain: Part of the frequency spectrum which ends with one frequency and ends with another.
17. Connectivity: The connection between networks licensed to one or more operators and which grants freedom of communication to users regardless of the networks linked by it or the services they use.
18. International communications service: The communications service between users in Egypt and abroad via means of the International Communications Standards.
19. National security: matters pertaining to the Presidency, armed forces, war production, Interior Ministry, general security, the national security agency, administrative censorship and the bodies attached to these agencies.
20. National security agencies: comprises the Presidency, Interior Ministry, the national security agency and the administrative censorship agency.
21. Relief and emergency communications services: comprises in particular paramedics services, police emergency services, civil defense and fire services.

Article 70

Without prejudice to any more serious penalty laid down in the Penal Code or in any other law, whoever commits the crimes described in the following articles will be punished by the penalties laid down for them.

Article 71(1)

Whoever deliberately damages any part of a communications network building or installation or its infrastructure or one of its communications lines or makes all or part of them unfit for use through any means and where as a result of this communications are cut off, even if only temporarily, will be punished with imprisonment and a fine of not less than LE 50,000 and not more than LE 100,000.

Article 71(3)

In all cases the court unilaterally reserves the right to make the offender pay compensation for the destroyed property or pay the cost of returning the destroyed object to its original state.

Law of Railway Lines Transport

Article 1

It is forbidden:

1. To travel in areas other than those designated for the transport of passengers
2. To board or alight from carriages after the train has started moving
3. That the traveler, upon boarding stations or stops or upon boarding trains, be carrying dangerous or dirty objects, or objects which, as a result of touching them or of their smell or size or any other factor, cause anxiety to other passengers or soil them or damage railway line equipment or the enjoyment of passengers. It is also forbidden to take other objects other than what passengers are freely allowed to carry according to the conditions and rules of the Authority.
4. Individuals affected with serious or infectious diseases must travel in special carriages while observing the rules and conditions laid down by the Railway Authority.
5. To travel while clearly in a state of intoxication.
6. Selling in trains or within the vicinity of train stations without permission from the Railway Authority or in violation of its rules and conditions.
7. To beg on trains or in train stations.
8. To throw rubbish on station roofs or on railway bridges.
9. To misuse railway equipment intended for the emergency assistance of passengers.
10. To climb railway buildings, properties, walls or semaphore towers.
11. To ship anything in carriages, goods or luggage (furniture) or empty it without the permission of the official concerned.

Article 13

No rocks or any other object may be placed on railway lines, in trains, in carriages on signals or any other equipment or material used to operate the railways.

Article 20(1)

Without prejudice to any more severe penalty prescribed in any other law, whoever infringes articles 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 17 of this law or the provisions of the decree referred to in article 16 will be punished by imprisonment of no more than six months or a fine or no more than LE 20 or by one of these two penalties.

(Provisions of articles 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 17).

Article 2

It is forbidden to travel in, or board railway carriages, or enter closed railway platforms without a ticket or authorisation.

Article 3

1. It is forbidden to buy tickets with the intention of selling them. Only the designated official may sell, or offer tickets for sale.
2. It is forbidden to sell, offer for sale or use in any other manner, tickets which have been used for part of the journey the tickets cover.

Article 4

It is forbidden to travel in a higher class than that marked on a ticket except after legally paying the sum due paid at the first request according to the stated conditions and rules.

Article 8

Railway Authority employees who those performing work connected to the Authority such as porters and buffet workers to act as intermediaries in the buying of tickets whether or not for a return. It is also not permitted for workers employed in the checking, inspection, collection or storing of tickets to possess them without good reason.

Article 10

It is forbidden:

12. To travel in areas other than those designated for the transport of passengers
13. To board or alight from carriages after the train has started moving
14. That the traveller, upon boarding stations or stops or upon boarding trains, be carrying dangerous or dirty objects, or objects which, as a result of touching them or of their smell or size or any other factor, cause anxiety to other passengers or soil them or damage railway line equipment or the enjoyment of passengers. It is also forbidden to take other objects other than what passengers are freely allowed to carry according to the conditions and rules of the Authority.
15. Individuals affected with serious or infectious diseases must travel in special carriages while observing the rules and conditions laid down by the Railway Authority.
16. To travel while clearly in a state of intoxication.
17. Selling in trains or within the vicinity of train stations without permission from the Railway Authority or in violation of its rules and conditions.
18. To beg on trains or in train stations.
19. To throw rubbish on station roofs or on railway bridges.
20. To misuse railway equipment intended for the emergency assistance of passengers.
21. To climb railway buildings, properties, walls or semaphore towers.
22. To ship anything in carriages, goods or luggage (furniture) or empty it without the permission of the official concerned.

Article 11

It is forbidden to rip, remove or deface any signs placed by the Authority inside trains or train stations.

Article 12

It is forbidden:

1. To pull, disconnect or move railway carriages without a specialised Railway Authority employee being present.
2. Use emergency signals or emergency equipment inside trains except in times of emergency.

Article 13

It is forbidden to place rubbish, stones or anything else on railway lines, trains, carriages or signals or any other tool or equipment used in the functioning of the railways.

Article 14

It is forbidden, except in the circumstances, and according to the conditions, laid down by the Railway Authority, to pass through railway tracks or bridges or buildings or to cross them or allow animals to cross them or pass through them. It is also forbidden in all circumstances for people, carts, cars or animals to stop on railway lines.

The use of railway tracks or Railway Authority buildings for private carriages or locomotives is forbidden without the prior permission of the Authority and in accordance with the conditions it lays down.

Article 15

It is forbidden to pass through railway crossings and to allow animals to pass through them when a train or locomotive is approaching. Pedestrians, motorists and cyclists must only cross railway crossings after having checking that a train or locomotive is not approaching.

Article 17

Flammable, explosive or dangerous material or other goods causing damage must not be transported. It is also forbidden to place them in railway station lockers. Where the goods in question may not be despatched without the authorisation of the relevant authority this authorisation must be presented to the official concerned together with the goods’ removal form.

The Authority may refuse to transport any goods containing material which damages other goods or Railway Authority equipment and may refuse to transport animals infected with contagious diseases.