As you can see, Al Sisi seems to be very popular with some of the Egyptian population who certainly prefer him over the Muslim Brotherhood.
Five years later, the voices of dissent are long gone from Tahrir Square
Amro Hassan
Five years ago, Tahrir Square became the watchword for change in the Middle East. On Monday, it echoed with the voices of the status quo.
Hundreds of people gathered in the square on an unusually cold and rainy day to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 25 uprising that led to the ouster of autocratic President Hosni Mubarak. But these weren’t the protesters who had risked their lives in those heady days -- far from it.
“Oh, Sisi, we love you!” they chanted, offering their ode of support to a new strongman, President Abdel Fattah Sisi. And, perhaps more remarkable: “The Interior [Ministry] is precious to us!”
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No words could have been more unthinkable during the Arab Spring protests of 2011, when Egypt’s Interior Ministry was reviled for its ruthless repression of dissent.
The Tahrir Square uprising led to Mubarak’s ouster and ultimate imprisonment, and the democratic election of Mohamed Morsi, a leading member of the long-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Morsi was toppled by a military coup led by Sisi in July 2013.
Sisi’s rule has been so far marred by mass and arbitrary arrests of both Islamist and liberal dissidents alike. While foreign human rights organizations, such as the Britain-based Amnesty International, put the detentions toll at 16,000, local rights advocates claim that arrests have surpassed 40,000.
But Sisi enjoys substantial support from Egyptians who believe the country needs a strong hand at the helm.
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[FONT=Georgia, serif]Five years later, the voices of dissent are long gone from Tahrir Square[/FONT]
Five years later, the voices of dissent are long gone from Tahrir Square
Amro Hassan
Five years ago, Tahrir Square became the watchword for change in the Middle East. On Monday, it echoed with the voices of the status quo.
Hundreds of people gathered in the square on an unusually cold and rainy day to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 25 uprising that led to the ouster of autocratic President Hosni Mubarak. But these weren’t the protesters who had risked their lives in those heady days -- far from it.
“Oh, Sisi, we love you!” they chanted, offering their ode of support to a new strongman, President Abdel Fattah Sisi. And, perhaps more remarkable: “The Interior [Ministry] is precious to us!”
Join the conversation on Facebook >>
No words could have been more unthinkable during the Arab Spring protests of 2011, when Egypt’s Interior Ministry was reviled for its ruthless repression of dissent.
The Tahrir Square uprising led to Mubarak’s ouster and ultimate imprisonment, and the democratic election of Mohamed Morsi, a leading member of the long-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Morsi was toppled by a military coup led by Sisi in July 2013.
Sisi’s rule has been so far marred by mass and arbitrary arrests of both Islamist and liberal dissidents alike. While foreign human rights organizations, such as the Britain-based Amnesty International, put the detentions toll at 16,000, local rights advocates claim that arrests have surpassed 40,000.
But Sisi enjoys substantial support from Egyptians who believe the country needs a strong hand at the helm.
Continue reading at:
[FONT=Georgia, serif]Five years later, the voices of dissent are long gone from Tahrir Square[/FONT]
