This committee can only consider the matter upon the request of the Nazir of Justice, and its members shall be European judges if the judge is European, and officials if the judge is native. Three new amendments were added to the Civil Penal Code in 1912. The first allows those sentenced to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months to work outside prison. The second deals with punishing those who facilitate the escape of criminals from justice. Previously, the law only applied to criminals against whom a complaint had been filed. The third added an article to the Egyptian law punishing usury, which stipulates the punishment of anyone who lends money at an interest rate exceeding the maximum legally permissible rate. Among the new laws is a law for the judicial system in the Bahariya, Dakhla, and Farafra Oases. This law stipulated that the judgments executed in these oases should take into account local customs if they do not conflict with justice and natural law. Rules were laid down for the organization of the native bar, and a law was enacted to expand the scope of lawyers' participation in supervising their body and ethics. (2) Mixed Legislation The establishment of a new legislative council, empowered to enact laws applicable to foreigners, was described in last year's report. This new legislative council has proven its great efficiency, approving important projects in 1912 at the request of the Ministry of Justice. Without it, the government would have been forced to submit these projects to the concessionary powers, with all the delays and procrastination involved. Among these projects is one approved last December, which led to a great change in the procedures for expropriation, and exempts up to five feddans of farmers' property from seizure. The procedures for mixed judgments in expropriation cases had long been a subject of complaint by creditors and mortgage banks. However, the necessity of obtaining the consent of the powers before introducing any amendment to the law was a formidable obstacle to rectifying this matter, despite everyone's acknowledgment.