The Counterrevolution in Egypt

Another sign that Egyptian authoritarianism didn't end when Hosni Mubarak left office:

The Egyptian cabinet [on Wednesday] approved a decree-law that criminalizes protests, demonstrations and sit-ins that interrupt private or state owned businesses or affect the economy in any way.

The decree-law also assigns severe punishment to those who call for or incite sit-ins, with the maximum sentence one year in prison and fines of up to half a million pounds.

"This law would only be implemented during times of emergency law and those draft laws would be presented to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to issue a decree," Magdy Rady, spokesman for the cabinet told Ahram Online.

If this law is a case study in what can go wrong when a revolution keeps a substantial segment of the old power structure in place, some of Libya's rebels are showing us what can go wrong when you decide to use the old regime's methods against its alleged agents. The L.A. Times has a disturbing report from a prison in eastern Libya here.

Comments

[jacob]

The Egyptian cabinet [on Wednesday] approved a decree-law that criminalizes protests, demonstrations and sit-ins that interrupt private or state owned businesses or affect the economy in any way.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

First?!

[Frayed Knot]

And this is what goes wrong when the rebels are a bunch of incompetent cowards:

http://www.independent.co.uk/o.....51298.html

[Ice Nine]

Moshe Dayan was once asked to reveal his recipe for winning wars. Dayan replied with a soldier's crisp brevity: "Fight Arabs."

[OhioOrrin]

cowards? hardly since they've risen-up despite brutal internal security & criminal libyian military activity.

incompetent? they are not professionals rather a civilian militia.

looting? the bengazi militias lack resupply so they must take whatever munitions & weapons they can find.

luv to see pampered civilians walk a mile in their shoes.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

So you're saying it may not have been a good idea to throw our hat in with a bunch of people we know little about? They could end up being just as bad or worse than the old leader? Who could have seen this coming?

[Old Mexican]

The Egyptian cabinet [on Wednesday] approved a decree-law that criminalizes protests, demonstrations and sit-ins that interrupt private or state owned businesses or affect the economy in any way.

Finally! La Revolucion nos ha dado justicia!

(The Revolution has given us justice.)

[cmace]

Sounds like the commerce clause.

[0815]

As I understand it, the military only rules until the elections. But still the Revolution should watch this closely, and international media should also. This is not acceptable, demonstrations are a universal right, and its the people who has the power. Good luck egypt!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Pity the country that jumps for change without first examining what the other side of change might look like.

[Free2Booze]

Jumping for change? Was that a shot at Israel?

[Free2Booze]

From the LA Times link, reporting the detention practices of the rebels in Benghazi:

"For a month, gangs of young gunmen have roamed the city, rousting Libyan blacks and immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa from their homes and holding them for interrogation as suspected mercenaries or government spies."

I'm sure their no chance of sectarian violence in the new Libya. Diversity.

[Ice Nine]

Any suspected Kadafi loyalist or spy who does not surrender, Ghoga warned, will face revolutionary "justice."

Helluva salesman.

[NotSure]

Egypt is so yesterday, Libya is the new sexy media news thing.

[KongTow]

Sounds to me like those guys know what they are doing. They got this.

http://www.real-privacy.it.tc

[SxCx]

There's illiberal shit in every revolution, including the American one. Don't tell me suspected loyalist families weren't locked up or abused by American forces.

Certainly not a defense, just a reminder...?

[SxCx]

I'm talking about 1776, in case this wasn't clear.

[R C Dean]

Any suspected Kadafi loyalist or spy who does not surrender, Ghoga warned, will face revolutionary "justice."

Please tell me he was wearing a Che t-shirt when he said this.

[we white]

One reason the revolution in Egypt may prove disappointing is that there was no actual revolution. The millitary didn't start ruling when Mubarak was overthrown, but when the monarchy was overthrown in bthe 50's. Angered at Mubarak's efforts to secure the succession for his (non-millitary) son, they used the protests as an excuse to dump him. Maybe they'll find popular passions to difficult to control and be forced to actually cede power, and there will be a revolution. That hasn't happened yet.

[Vinny]

"The Egyptian cabinet [on Wednesday] approved a decree-law that criminalizes protests, demonstrations and sit-ins that interrupt private or state owned businesses or affect the economy in any way."

If they get rid of "affect the economy in any way" as well as the rest of the law, I don't see the problem with this law. Should say, a bunch of gay rights protestors be able so shut down someone's business by protesting inside of it?