A prosecutor in Egypt has ordered the arrest of two leading activists after they took part in demonstrations against a sweeping new anti-protest law. Ahmed Maher is a founder of the April 6 Youth Movement, which played a key role in the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak during the 2011 uprising. Both he and the prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa Abd El-Fattah attended protests outside the Egyptian Parliament Tuesday, where at least two dozen others were reportedly detained. The new law forces protesters to obtain seven different permits in order to hold public rallies, making protests all but impossible. In Geneva, a spokesperson for the United Nations high commissioner for human rights criticized the measure.

Rupert Colville: “The high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, is today warning that a new law regulating demonstrations in Egypt, which was announced on Sunday, could lead to serious breaches of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. She states unequivocally that for a range of reasons the law should be amended. Of particular concern are provisions on the use of force by law enforcement officials and the excessive sanctions, including massive fines as well as prison sentences, that can be imposed on those found to be in breach of the law.”