Egypt Extends 26 Year State of Emergency

The Egyptian parliament Monday voted to keep a controversial emergency law that has been in place since the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat. The law, which allows the state to arrest and detain suspects without trial and to restrict civil freedoms, has been opposed for a long time by the Egyptian opposition and various international human rights groups. The extension was requested by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, and carried the day with 305 votes against 103. [P.E]