Disturbing trends set in lead-up to Egyptian coming elections

Egyptian Civilians Caught in Military Tribunals
Elizabeth Arrott – Cairo – August 17, 2011

Egyptian protesters who ended the presidency of Hosni Mubarak continue to endure one legacy of the past – an all-encompassing emergency law. Unlike Mubarak, who is on trial in a civilian court, thousands of civilians face military tribunals.

The dismantling of Egypt’s emergency law has been a key demand of anti-government protesters, and the current military rulers say they are considering its demise.

But human rights groups argue that actions speak louder than words and note that some 10,000 Egyptians have been put before military tribunals in the months since the January uprising. That is more, they say, than during the whole of Mr. Mubarak’s 29-year rule.

The government counters that the military courts, which under emergency law are allowed to try civilians, are now used only for common criminals who undermined national security during the political unrest. It is a point adamantly rejected by political activists like Ibrahim El Houdaiby.

“Those are not thugs who are being tried via military tribunals,” said El Houdaiby. “Those are our friends, our comrades, our brothers and sisters. People who have been demonstrating on the street. People who have been active and have managed to oust former President Mubarak.”

The secretive nature of the military courts makes it hard to know the exact status of each case. Most defendants have no access to lawyers or others on the outside.

Certainly, criminal acts appear to have been committed during the uprising — an event seen in real time by millions around the world.

But people also witnessed the roundup of political protesters, during raids on Tahrir Square sit-ins in recent months, and at demonstrations outside the Israeli embassy in May.

Political activist El Houdaiby finds the reliance on tribunals for these cases particularly galling, given the treatment of members of the old guard.

“If former president Mubarak, who has allegedly killed over 800 Egyptians, ordered the death of over 800 Egyptians in a few days, not to speak of the 30 years and crimes therein, is now standing in front of a civilian court, it is inconceivable that we would accept civilians standing before a military tribunal,” he said. …more