CAIRO, Jan 13 (MENA) - Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafy El-Gebaly hailed the approval of the article on pretrial detention periods of the draft Criminal Procedures Law as being an important milestone in the history of Egyptian legislation.

Speaking at a House general session on Monday, Gebaly said limiting the pretrial detention period emphasizes the parliament's keenness to ensure this measure does not turn into a disguised punishment, but rather remains a temporary tool that is used as much as necessary.

According to Article 123 of the draft Criminal Procedures Law, the pre-trial detention period in the preliminary investigation phase and in all stages of criminal proceedings should not exceed four months in misdemeanors, twelve months in felonies, and eighteen months if the penalty prescribed for the offense was life imprisonment or death penalty. (MENA)

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