Military trials in Egypt undermine civil law
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a new law, whereby the perpetrators of assaults against public and government facilities shall be referred to military courts.
CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi enacted a law on Oct. 27 to enhance sanctions against those who vandalize public and government facilities. The law states that the police shall protect public facilities and refer assaulting parties to the military public prosecution as a preliminary step for their referral before the military courts. This law will go into effect for two years.
In the last two months, Egypt has witnessed repeated assaults on public facilities, including a roadside bomb incident near the Foreign Ministry, an explosion in downtown Cairo a few meters away from metro stations, and an explosion in the vicinity of Cairo University. However, the law was issued immediately after the Sheikh Zuweid bombing, which killed dozens of members of the armed forces on Oct. 24.
The law protecting public facilities sparked widespread debate about its constitutionality and feasibility, as it shows that the police and the judiciary have been unable to control terrorism a year and a half after the revolution of June 30, 2013.
Brig. Gen. Khaled Okasha, a security expert, told Al-Monitor that the law came after the situation in Egypt went from simple terrorist operations, with the police being able to arrest the perpetrators and protect public facilities, to a real war between the state and terrorism. “Waging wars and defending national security is initially the responsibility of the armed forces, while the police alone are unable to handle such missions,” Okasha said.
