Egypt’s Rights Erosion: The Threat of Militarized Governance under President Sisi
Watan-Human Rights Watch issued a report shedding light on the violations of rights and freedoms by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi through the imposition of laws that enhance military intervention in civilian governance.
In its report released on Tuesday, March 5th, the organization pointed to the decision of the Egyptian government at the beginning of the year 2024 to issue a new law and amendments to an existing law to the parliament “which quickly approved it without discussion or amendment.”
The new laws relate to securing and protecting vital public facilities and establishments in the state, giving the army broad new authority to perform certain functions instead of the police, civilian judiciary, and other civilian authorities wholly or partially.
Expanding the powers of the military personnel in a dangerous manner
These laws and amendments also expand the jurisdiction of military courts to try civilians and charge the armed forces with “assisting the police and fully coordinating with them in securing and protecting public facilities and vital installations.”
The most dangerous aspect of these laws is the powers granted to military personnel involved in these operations, including judicial powers similar to those held by the police in terms of arrest and detention, as is done in emergency situations.
According to Human Rights Watch, these laws include broader and more arbitrary provisions, reflecting the chaotic nature of power circles and the judiciary that violate the most basic principles of human rights through mass trials without verification of fundamental documents.
Individual criminal responsibility is often not proven, and frivolous judgments are issued, such as the case of sentencing a 3-year-old child to life imprisonment, later justified by an army spokesperson as being “issued by mistake.”
Granting the army authority over the people and merchants
The new law grants the army the authority to seize and confiscate food and non-food products under the guise of investigation and detention of those responsible for market violations, which usually fall under the authority of the “Supply and Trade Directorate” affiliated with the Ministry of Interior Police.
This is done by granting military personnel the authority to search and inspect places or arrest individuals or seize materials to confront “crimes that harm the community’s basic needs for goods and essential supplies.”
The organization quoted Egyptian researcher Amr Magdy as saying, “Consolidating the army’s control over civilian life is a strategy to contain the increasing resentment over the Egyptian government’s blatant failures in supporting and ensuring basic economic and political rights. The financial crisis in Egypt will not be solved by prosecuting more Egyptians in unfair military trials and imprisoning them.”
This comes amid a worsening financial crisis facing Egypt, with a significant increase in food prices, in addition to the continuous economic contraction for several years.
However, the Sisi government has consistently responded to opposition and criticism by harassing and imprisoning critics of its political and economic choices, which have led to widening poverty and unprecedented external debt.
