Law of Egypt

Module 8

Criminal justice, the environment, digital law and international law: the Penal Code, criminal procedure and trial, the Nile and the environment, intellectual property and data protection, arbitration, foreign judgments and treaties

This last module covers four areas that matter to anyone who does more than visit Egypt. Criminal law rests on the Penal Code of 1937 and many special laws (on drugs, terrorism and cybercrime), and criminal procedure has long been governed by the Code of 1950, in which the Public Prosecution investigates and the courts try. A new Criminal Procedure Code, Law 174 of 2025, has been issued, with stronger safeguards on arrest and pretrial detention, but its start date has been reported as postponed, so the current position must be checked. Environmental law protects the Nile and the environment, and a water resources law governs scarce water. Intellectual property is covered by a unified law of 2002, and personal data by a 2020 law. International law enters through treaties, arbitration and the recognition of foreign judgments. The practical questions for a foreigner are: what offences can affect me, what are my rights if arrested, and how do I resolve a business dispute or enforce a decision?

General education on the law of Egypt, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the authority and the community concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult an Egyptian advocate for any real matter.

This course was written on 5 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Egypt as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.