The Law Governing the Work of Associations and Other Foundations Working in the Field of Civil Work (commonly known as the NGO Law), Law No. 70 of 2017, went into effect after President Abdel-Fattah El Sisi ratified the law and it was published in the edition of the Official Gazette dated May 24, 2017. The draft law had first been submitted to the House of Representatives by Representative Abdel Hadi al-Qasbi in September 2016. After reviewing the draft law, the State Council returned it to the House on November 28, 2016, and the legislature approved the draft law the following day. It remained in limbo between parliamentary approval and presidential signature for a period of almost six months.
