Egypt seeks to crack down on killings by police
New amendments to Egypt’s police law seek to make it tougher for police to abuse their authority.
The involvement of Egyptian police officers in three murder cases in 2016 — in addition to a long list of accusations of bribery, verbal and physical abuse and harassment — have people comparing the current regime to that of ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
Police excesses during Mubarak’s rule contributed to his overthrow and to Egypt’s Arab Spring in 2011.
The current government, in response to the accusations, is taking steps to battle the problem. In late August, the police law was amended to remove government-issued firearms from the hands of some officers.
The law covers several areas. It prohibits the use of force or using firearms in any circumstances other than those prescribed by law. It requires police to turn in government-issued firearms at the end of their shifts — though exceptions can be made in situations when the Criminal Investigation Unit director believes it’s in the public interest. The law also forbids improper or excessive use of authority.
