A court in Egypt has forbidden the Army from carrying out so-called virginity tests on female detainees. The verdict was delivered in the case of Samira Ibrahim, a 25-year-old marketing manager and activist brave enough to defy the country’s Army.
In March of this year, military forces violently broke up a sit-in of protesters who had continued to camp out in Tahrir Square after Mubarak’s ouster. Women as well as men were arrested. According to testimony they gave to international human-rights groups, the women were insulted, accused of prostitution, beaten, and tortured. At a military camp to which they were transported, seven of the women—those who were unmarried—were subjected to “virginity tests,” stripped and inspected by a male military doctor while soldiers and officers looked on.
One person makes a difference: There were numerous reports of said “tests” being carried out by the Egyptian army, but Samira Ibrahim was the only woman to come forward publicly and file a lawsuit. “On that day, I truly wished for death,” she said in a video testimony. “I kept telling myself, people get heart attacks and die, why don’t I get one?” Problem is, Egyptian courts don’t have jurisdiction over military personnel, so while policy will change to reflect the ruling, it’ll be up to the military itself to press charges against any of its officers. So far, it has announced that it will charge one army doctor with “public indecency and violation of orders.”
In Egypt over the past several days, we have seen protesters demand the realization of these principles. We have condemned the excessive use of force against them and called for restraint on all sides. We deeply regret the loss of life, and urge the Egyptian authorities to implement an independent investigation into the circumstances of those deaths. But the situation Egypt faces requires a more fundamental solution, devised by Egyptians, which is consistent with universal principles.
The United States strongly believes that the new Egyptian government must be empowered with real authority immediately. We believe that Egypt’s transition to democracy must continue, with elections proceeding expeditiously, and all necessary measures taken to ensure security and prevent intimidation. Most importantly, we believe that the full transfer of power to a civilian government must take place in a just and inclusive manner that responds to the legitimate aspirations of the Egyptian people, as soon as possible.
Bolded for emphasis.
We will not relinquish power because of a slogan-chanting crowd. Being in power is not a blessing. It is a curse. It’s a very heavy responsibility.Egyptian Maj. Gen. Mukhtar el-Mallah • Emphasizing that the Egyptian military has no plans to relinquish power before the elections take place. Another general noted that, despite the recent unrest, the military had no plan’s to delay Tuesday’s parliamentary elections: “We will not delay elections. This is the final word,” said Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, who, along with el-Mallah, is a member of member of the ruling military council. source (via • follow)
It’s not over: The events unfolding in Egypt of late are a striking reminder (and a very condensed sort of case study) in the perils of looking beyond or away from a nation after an ostensibly successful, popular revolution. All these months later, Egyptians are back in Tahrir Square, being beaten and killed as they call on the new ruling faction in Egypt, the military itself, to hold immediate elections. To date, a number estimated around 2,000 Egyptians have been injured in the neo-Tahrir protests, with at least 37 killed. source
Egyptian military pledges to hand power over by July 1: You guys buying this? Here’s a Reuters report; will put AP on here once we get it.
Both sides blame the military for the escalation: While protests had roots in a conflict around a Christian church, the violence reached unprecedented heights, with at least 24 killed and 213 injured, and gruesome photos (which are on AP, but we won’t publish) telling the story of a devastating scene. “What happened today is unprecedented in Egypt. 17 corpses crushed by military tanks,” tweeted human rights activist Hossam Bahgat. “I saw bodies missing hands and legs, heads twisted away or plastered to the ground.” This Al Jazeera English clip above does a pretty decent job of explaining what led to the protests — the worst since the fall of Mubarak. source
What happened late Friday was the result of unintentional confrontations between the military police and the youth of the revolution. … [We] did not and will not issue orders to attack the youth, and all measures will be taken to ensure this will not happen again.Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces • Apologizing for a spate of attacks against protesters at Tahrir Square last night. The army, who claims that they did not order these confrontations, nonetheless is facing the spectre of new protests today from those angry about the army’s use of force. A number of protesters were also detained in Friday’s confrontations; the number bandied about has been somewhere around 20. source (via • follow)
Let the military take over and protect you and Egypt. … We have confirmed reports that there are radical elements heading to cause internal strife. They have balls of fire and they want to start fire in the Tahrir (Liberation) Square.A quote from Egyptian state television • Calling the protesters out at Tahrir Square “radicals.” The phrasing suggests that the tactic used against Egyptian protesters today (involving a bunch of pro-Mubarak supporters attacking the protesters that have been out all week, with the military standing idly by) was a ploy designed to give the military leverage over the situation. “The military’s refusal to act is a highly political act which shows that it is allowing the Egyptian regime to reconstitute itself at the top and is highly, utterly against the protesters,” says Kent State professor Joshua Stacher, who happens to be an expert on Egypt. The military is powerful; did they use that power to screw over the Egyptians? source (via • follow)
So far, the Egyptian military have handled themselves exceptionally well. You can see that just from the pictures that have been displayed, in terms of how they have been accepted by their people.Adm. Mike Mullen • Giving the kind of unguarded praise towards something in Egypt that we haven’t really seen lately from the Obama administration. But here’s some praise for the Egyptian military from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, via a podcast. Don’t hide it in code, Obama administration. Say what you mean. source (via • follow)
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Cairo neighborhoods are being policed by local residents wielding kitchen knives and hunting rifles, after the military called for civilians to protect their own property.A recent update from al-Jazeera’s live blog • Which we really have nothing to add to, other than to hope that these residents stay safe this evening in the wake of great danger. source (via • follow)
Leave Hosni, you, your son and your corrupted party!Graffiti left on a tank by protesters in Egypt • And a phrase that says it all, really. According to the NYT, protesters did this without any interference from soldiers. “This is the revolution of all the people,” said another tank. Why so chummy? Well, every male in Egypt has to serve in the military at some point, which appears to be taking some of the edge off between military and protesters. Interesting. source (via • follow)
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