Post date: Jul 14, 2013 9:35:0 PM
R Reports - Egypt's new government began to take shape on Sunday, as the interim prime minister filled senior cabinet posts to lead the country back to civilian rule.
Among the first senior technocrats and liberals tapped to run the government was former U.N. diplomat Mohamed El-Baradei, sworn in as interim vice president.
Also on the cabinet -- Inas Abdel Dayem as culture minister, and Dareya Sharaf to head the information ministry.In a sign of how important U.S. relations are for Egypt, a former ambassador to the U.S., Nabil Fahmy, seen here in file video, was named foreign minister.
But not everyone is confident rule of law is coming back.
A senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood said some 240 jailed supporters of deposed President Mohamed Mursi had their detentions extended.
It happened, he said, in a closed prison hearing and lawyers were barred.
SENIOR MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD LEADER, ESSAM EL-ERIAN,
"This is something that has never happened before in Egypt's history. To hold a court hearing in a prison. To stop lawyers, 40 of them, even from entering and attending the hearing. Is this a state that follows the law?"
The new administration is to govern under a temporary constitution, until parliamentary elections in about six months.