Friday
Jul302010
MENA House: Egypt as "A Nation Without Trust"?
Friday, July 30, 2010 at 6:52 
In a heated discussion, television commentators Amr Adeeb and Amal Othman raised the subject "A Nation Without Trust" (Watan bila thika).The reason for this debate? In recent weeks, headlines have featured events bringing into question the integrity of the judiciary, medical examiners, and police forces. In the words of Adeeb, this is a "catastrophe".
MENA House: The Pharaoh’s Music in Today’s Egypt
Case 1: The Beating of Khalid Saeed
On 6 June, Khalid Saeed was assaulted and murdered by, according to eyewitnesses, two policemen. Al Masry Al Youm obtained exclusive material, including more eyewtiness accounts and testimonies revealing the attack caused severe bruising and bleeding. Pictures of the victim were then released matching the description.
The events that followed that raised even more eyebrows throughout the nation. Saeed's brother Ahmed claims that, informed of his brother's death, he went to the morgue. Officers refused to let him enter and took him to the police station, where he was given a story completely different that of all the eyewitnesses.
The prosecutor interrogated the medical examiner at the morgue, "Afify Abdel Al Afify", who claimed that there was a "bruise under Saeed’s left eye and scratches on his lips, but no other injuries". The examiner added that the victim's mother and brother did in fact visit the morgue, however, he "forgot" to add this to the visitors' logbook.
A new medical report is being written to confirm/revoke the previous account.
Case 2: Lawyers vs. Judges
Two lawyers were convicted and sentenced to five-year prison terms for assaulting the district attorney in the Nile Delta city of Tanta, northwest of Cairo. It is alleged that the lawyers slapped the prosecutor. However, accounts of the event differ over who initiated the scuffle.
At the hearing, a judge ruled in favour of the prosecutor, a decision which defense lawyers claim was biased. This led to numerous protests against prosecutors, with lawyers handing out leaflets condemning judges of not being objective and failing to do their job properly.
While the judges, defence lawyers and prosecutors argue amongst themselves, it is the Egyptian citizen who is affected. Videos show empty courtrooms, in contrast to the normal rush of judicial business.
In the words of Adeeb, the Egyptian citizen is being abused twice over. First, their legal dealings are stalled because of the dispute within the judiciary. Secondly, their trust is being killed.
Returning to the Khalid Saeed case, what happens if the final report is published and it states that he was in fact murdered by policemen? This means that police officers and the forensice medical examiner can change their reports from one extreme to another. Whom does an Egyptian citizen trust?
What on the other hand happens if the report concludes that Saeed was not killed, contrary to all eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence of the assault? Again, whom should an Egyptian citizen trust?
Reader Comments (6)
(For arabic speakers) This clip is of Amr Adeeb highlighting the above points:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocw0c0cbFA0&feature=player_embedded" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocw0c0cbFA0&feat...
On a positive note, all this also shows that the Egyptian media - both old and new - has come a long way in the last ten years!
So, how much will Egyptians trust another Mubarak?
Coalition pushing Gamal Mubarak for president
A campaign to support President Hosni Mubarak's son to follow in his father footsteps has been launched by an unlikely leftist, Magdi Kordi, who has been busy scattering posters and slogans in slums and poor neighborhoods in support of Gamal Mubarak.
Kordi, who was expelled from the leftist Tagammu party following his official endorsement of Gamal, claims that 4,000 Egyptians have joined his coalition. He said he is not impressed by opposition candidates and insists that he is acting independently and without the support of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/" rel="nofollow">http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/
On another note, it is a bit funny to see all the odd bedfellows emerging in this campaign: Al Baradei being supported by the MB and Gamal Mubarak inspiring the support of someone who was up till recently a member of from the leftist Tagammu party ....
You know Catherine, I actually thought of the article you sent in a previous article I wrote: The article mentioning the progress of media in the last ten years. It certainly has come along way.
It's a step in the right direction.
It's a matter of organisation (or lack of). Political manoevering is only effective when it is organised.
In a recent TV interview with Kordi, he claims that this is not actually an official political party. It's a campaign to raise support for GM. Could this be an opposition campaign against el Baradeii?
Christina,
On another note: Iranian MPs to get visas for Gaza visit
Iranian Parliament (Majlis) members will receive Egyptian visas by August 10 to travel to Gaza after meeting with Egypt's Parliamentary and government officials.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=137015§ionid=351020101" rel="nofollow">http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=137015&sec...
I think the Egyptian authorities - if they actually do end up issuing the visas - are going to keep these guys on a really tight leash from the moment they enter Egypt ;-)