NSF Critical of Draft NGO Law; Anti-Morsi Alliance Grows
Egypt's National Salvation Front (NSF) criticized a draft NGO law over the weekend, saying the Muslim Brotherhood-backed bill is more restrictive than laws under former President Hosni Mubarak. The opposition bloc said the law "seeks to reproduce a police ...
May 20, 2013
Category: Civil Society, Egypt, Featured, Islam and Democracy, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political Islam, Political transition, Reform
Discussing Bill, Brotherhood Upends Morsi’s Judicial Compromise
Egypt's top jurists suspended participation today in a government-backed conference to move forward on judicial reform, reigniting a political showdown with the country's judges. Lawmakers in the Muslim Brotherhood dominated Shura Council announced it would reexamine a contentious proposal opposed ...
May 15, 2013
Category: Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Featured, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, Parliament
POMED Notes: “Egypt’s Litigious Transition”
The Atlantic Council hosted an event for the release of their new issue brief titled "Egypt's Litigious Transition." The event featured Mahmoud Hamad, author of the issue brief and Assistant Professor at Drake University, and Yussef Auf, a nonresident fellow at The Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. The event was moderated by Dr. Michele Dunne, Director of The Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle ...
May 14, 2013
Category: Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Elections, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition, Reform
Long-Awaited Cabinet Reshuffle Announced
After weeks of speculation on an imminent cabinet reshuffle, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi Tuesday named nine new ministers to his government. The overhaul, the second by Morsi since his election in June, adds two additional members of the ...
Compromise Struck on Egypt Judicial Reform Bill
Compromise on a contentious draft law that would have forced nearly a quarter of Egypt's judges into retirement has been reached between the judiciary and the president's office. A crisis over the proposed law
April 29, 2013
Category: Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Featured, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, Protests
Egypt Revolution “Unpredictably” Reshaping Islamists, Analyst Finds
In a report for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Nathan Brown examines how the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafis and religious institutions in Egypt are being reshaped in fundamental ways by becoming increasingly involved in state politics. "For Egypt, ...
April 25, 2013
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition
POMED Notes – The Stakes in Egypt: Political Action and Democratic Change
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted an event titled "The Stakes in Egypt: Political Action and Democratic Change." The event featured a presentation from Amr Hamzawy, founder of the Free Egypt Party, and was moderated by Karim Sadjadpour, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment. For full event notes continue reading or click here for the PDF. Amr Hamzawy began by discussing the events that have unfolded in Egypt over the past week. ...
April 24, 2013
Category: Democracy Promotion, Economics, Egypt, Elections, Event Notes, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition, Reform
Egypt Opposition Warns of “Judges’ ‘Massacre’”
Leaders of Egypt's largest political opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front, have called for fresh demonstrations against the government of President Mohamed Morsi over a draft law to reform the judiciary. The proposed law, drafted by President Morsi's ...
April 22, 2013
Category: Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Featured, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition
POMED Notes: “U.S. Engagement with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood”
On Friday, April 12, the Center for American Progress hosted an event titled “U.S. Engagement with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.” The event was moderated by Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, and featured Dr. John L. Esposito, Georgetown University Professor and Founding Director of Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding; Michael Wahid Hanna, Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation; and Dr. James J. ...
Egypt Blogger: U.S. Must Make Aid Conditional on Reform
A prominent Egyptian blogger, The Big Pharaoh, accused the U.S. of unconditionally funding a repressive regime "that tortures people." At an event hosted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the blogger faulted the Obama administration with ...
April 15, 2013
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Muslim Brotherhood, Reform, US foreign policy
Analysts: Economic Solution Not Enough in Egypt
In an analysis published by the Washington Institute, popular Egyptian blogger Mahmoud Salem discusses U.S. policy toward Egypt, particularly with regards to the country's economic woes and a pending loan from the International Monetary Fund. He links the ...
POMED Notes: “Arab Uprisings and Mass Politics: Possibilities, Constraints and Uncertainty”
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in conjunction with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), hosted a panel discussion titled “Arab Uprisings and Mass Politics: Possibilities, Constraints and Uncertainty” featuring Laurie Brand, Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California, and Steven Heydemann, Senior Advisor for Middle East Initiatives at USIP. Haleh Esfandiari, Director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center, moderated. For full event ...
March 29, 2013
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Event Notes, Gulf, Jordan, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, Qatar, Reform, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: “Two Years after Tahrir”
On Thursday, March 28th, the American Islamic Congress (AIC) held an event titled “Two Years after Tahrir.” The panel featured Eric Trager of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Dwight Bashir of the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom, and Safei-Eldin Hamed of the Alliance of Egyptian Americans. John Pinna of AIC moderated the event. For complete event notes continue reading, or click here for the PDF. John Pinna opened the event saying ...
March 29, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Congress, Egypt, Event Notes, Human Rights, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, US foreign policy
Shura Approves Protest Law, Court Postpones MB Ruling
Egypt's Shura Council passed in principle a draft law further restricting protest rights. The law requires protesters to give official notice to the police three days prior to a demonstration. This notice must include details of the time, ...
March 27, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Elections, Featured, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, Protests
Egypt Prosecutor Questions Opposition Figures on Recent Clashes
Egyptian prosecutors summoned opposition figures for questioning over Friday's violent protests. The investigation followed President Mohamed Morsi's speech on Sunday in which he vowed to hold accountable anyone found to have incited the violence. The summons is
March 25, 2013
Category: Conflict, Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Featured, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political transition, Protests
Morsi Warns Punishment for Violent Protests
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi responded on Sunday to recent clashes between supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood, giving a statement that emphasized his "right to impose exceptional measures to restore domestic order." He said those who are inciting violence ...
March 24, 2013
Category: Conflict, Egypt, Featured, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, Protests
POMED Notes: “Human Rights and Rule of Law in Egypt’s Young Democracy”
The Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted a discussion titled "Human Rights and Rule of Law in Egypt’s Young Democracy" with Heba Morayef, Egypt Director for Human Rights Watch, and Mahmoud Salem, Egyptian political activist and founder of the blog “Rantings of a Sandmonkey.” Amy Hawthorne, incoming Senior Fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center, moderated the discussion, and Tarek Radwan, Associate Director for Research at the ...
March 20, 2013
Category: Civil Society, Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Elections, EU, Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political transition, Reform
Egyptian Police Go On Strike
Egyptian police have gone on strike in over one third of provinces across the country. Strike areas include Port Said and parts of Cairo, and police are refusing to protect President Mohamed Morsi's home in Sharqiya. Police officers' ...
March 10, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Egypt, Featured, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, Protests
POMED Notes: “The Resistible Rise of the Islamists?”
The Woodrow Wilson Center held an event titled “The Resistible Rise of the Islamists?” on February 27th featuring Marina Ottaway, Senior Scholar at the Wilson Center, and Les Campbell, Senior Associate and Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa at the National Democratic Institute. Haleh Esfandiari, Director of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program, moderated. The event coincided with the release of Ottaway’s paper “The Resistible Rise of Islamist Parties.” For full event ...
February 28, 2013
Category: Egypt, Elections, Event Notes, Islamist movements, Morocco, Muslim Brotherhood, Tunisia
Egyptian Opposition Threatens Election Boycott
President Morsi's announcement of a date for Egypt's parliamentary elections has met with opposition. Mohamed ElBaradei claimed the elections would bring instability that could necessitate military intervention. He also characterized the new policy as a recycling ...
February 25, 2013
Category: Courts and Judiciary, Egypt, Elections, Featured, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, Parliament, Political transition, Reform