Tag: ahmed shafiq

Paath paved for Al-Sisi’s second term?

Forecasting that President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi will rule for a second term would not be a speculative argument: across different sectors, institutions and campaigns have expressed their support for him to continue serving and endorsement forms were collected on his behalf.

Al-Sisi has not yet officially announced his re-election bid for the presidency, instead delaying the declaration, saying he would run for the election if it is the will of the people, an approach he also adopted in the 2014 election.

However, on more than one occasion in 2017, the president vowed to present a list of accomplishments for his first term in office.
While it has yet to be presented, mobilisation for his election kicked off in the past weeks. It has been reported in local media that thousands of endorsement forms in support of Al-Sisi have been signed by citizens.

“`Alashan Nebniha” (so we can build it), is one of the largest campaigns calling on Al-Sisi to run for a second presidential term, launched by Future of a Nation Party. On 24 December, it announced obtaining signatures from 12 million citizens.

At the same time, there is a weak presence and representation of competitors. As the election is set to take place in nearly two months, by mid-March, it remains difficult to determine who the final candidates will be.

Mobilising to support the president

The media

The media is currently under the tightest control in the years that followed the 2011 toppling of Hosni Mubarak and it continues to play a major role in mobilising support for Al-Sisi for the election.

Media ownership is in the hands of the state, supporting businesspersons, or former officials, widely believed to be linked to intelligence services.
Eagle Capital for Financial Investments, headed by former investment minister Dalia Khorshid, recently acquired the Egyptian Media Group which encompasses news websites, advertising agencies, and television networks. Other major networks are owned by state-allied businesspersons, while several independent news websites have been blocked.

Several opinion writers have been questioning the seriousness and possibility of other candidates that could compete with Al-Sisi, adding that despite the fact that political plurality is beneficial to the democratic process, none of them stand a real chance of obtaining public support.
TV narratives have been more or less sending the same message. On Tuesday, TV host Amr Adeeb said there was no presidential competition that would require the media to pave the way for Al-Sisi in the first place.

Adeeb even said that it was time to move to the next level and start discussing what would be required from the president in his second term.

The parliament

With more than 500 members, the parliament is the largest civil institution supporting the regime, the army, and Al-Sisi, as the majority of its members announced their endorsement.

The 25-30 Alliance, which represents a minority opposition bloc inside parliament, said it would wait for the final official list of candidates before stating its stance.

Candidates and complicated bids
Most of those who presented themselves as candidates do not align with the current regime and are in turn unwelcome, despite that some enjoy public support to different extents.

Leftist tendencies and a presidential candidate, Khaled Ali
(Photo by Mahmoud Fekry)

Khaled Ali

To date, lawyer Khaled Ali is the only candidate in the presidential race, in terms of having officially announced his intention to run for the election and continued to be in the scene.

Ali held his third press conference since announcing his candidacy on Thursday where he claimed that he is “resisting dictatorship,” calling on his supporters to collect 25,000 endorsement forms—required for his candidacy by 25 January.

This does not mean that his candidacy is not threatened.

Ali, who led a long battle against the government over the maritime border agreement with Saudi Arabia and succeeded in obtaining a State Council verdict rejecting the transfer of Egypt’s sovereignty over the Red Sea islands Tiran and Sanafir, is facing a court case which—if it ends in his conviction—would make him no longer eligible as a presidential candidate, according to the law.

In September, Ali was sentenced by a misdemeanours court to three months in prison for indecent behaviour, as he was accused of displaying a gesture, described by critics as obscene, in a public gathering outside the court after the verdict in his favour in the islands case. His appeals case is scheduled for 7 March, in the middle the election timetable.

Ali first declared in a press conference on 6 November his decision to launch an electoral campaign. His statement focused on “crises” Egypt is facing and described his vision as a “collective social struggle” based on upholding values of democracy, citizenship, social justice, and human rights.

The outline of his declared programme included the evaluation of the impact of national mega projects, currently under execution, on the economy, raising the minimum wage in the public sector to EGP 2,000, a tax reform system, the end of privatisation policies, improvement of the health insurance bill currently under discussion in parliament, supporting agriculture, restoring the Nubian people to their lands as per the constitution, integrating Sinai residents into development, releasing detainees whose temporary custody exceeded legal periods, the issuance of presidential pardons for prisoners of protest charges, unblocking websites, and stopping the maritime border agreement.

Ali, a former candidate in the 2012 election, has become an enemy in the eyes of the current president’s supporters. He has been repeatedly slammed by pro-state media. In return, Ali accused the regime of implementing different means aimed at pressuring him to withdraw from the race, including the “fabrication” of a court case.

Former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq has agreed to stay on as National Movement Party chief
(AFP/File, Mohammed Abed)

Ahmed Shafiq

As the rival candidate who closest to president-elect Mohamed Morsi in 2012, the Mubarak-era former aviation minister, prime minsiter, and military pilot Ahmed Shafiq enjoyed a large presence on the political scene.

Although unofficially declared, media reports indicated that Shafiq’s return to Egypt from the UAE, to which he fled escaping legal prosecution over corruption charges after the 2011 revolution, was unwelcome by the current regime which saw him as a potential threat.
On 29 November, the rivalry became official: Shafiq decided to challenge Al-Sisi and announced his bid for presidency, in exclusive statements to Reuters.

In a video he published on YouTube, Shafiq said he believed he would be able to overcome existing problems through the immediate implementation of democracy and human rights principles.

Confusing events quickly followed.

The next day, Al-Jazeera published a video statement where Shafiq claimed he was barred from leaving the UAE as he planned a tour to reach out to Egyptian communities abroad before returning to Egypt.

The video sparked controversy in Egypt, especially amid hostility towards the Qatari network and official denial by the UAE of the accusations. On 2 December, Shafiq was deported to Egypt amid further unclear circumstances, where it was reported that he was put under house arrest and concerns around his whereabouts were voiced by his lawyer and family, while Shafiq publicly denied his movements were restricted.

Regardless of assertions of proceeding with his candidacy put forward by him and the political party of which he is president—The National Movement Party—Shafiq eventually withdrew from the race.

On 7 January, Shafiq issued a statement through his official page on Facebook stating that he would not participate in the electoral race. He explained that he had been unable to see the “developments and achievements on the ground” being away from the country for five years. His post stirred a mix of supporting and ironic reactions by social media users.

In statements to Dream TV, Shafiq said he was not and could not be pressured to drop out, saying he calculated the benefits and losses and concluded that “a more suitable man could continue the journey.”

Shafiq had spoken about the islands case in statements to Dream TV in June, where he asserted Egypt’s sovereignty over the islands despite him claiming the opposite in 2016. Programme host Wael Al-Ibrashy did not appear on TV for months despite denials by the channel that he had been suspended.

Ahmed Konsowa

Ahmed Konsowa

The short-lived story of military officer Ahmed Konsowa’s bid for presidency took an unexpected turn of events. A couple of weeks after he announced his intention to run, Konsowa is now serving a six-year prison sentence issued by a military court.

Through his Facebook account—now deactivated—Konsowa presented himself as “the alternative” and launched a hashtag called “Egypt hope.” His announcement came around the same time of Shafiq’s.

He confirmed his respect for the constitution and the goals of “the revolutions of 25 January and 30 June.” Konsowa claimed he had been subject to autocratic measures by the state since he first tried to resign from the military in March 2014 but maintained his pride of belonging to the institution.
In an eloquent speech given in Arabic and English, Konsowa appeared in his military uniform saying: “I proudly declare that I have decided to unlock the current political deadlock…it is no secret that I’ve spent more than three years and a half in courts suing the government in 11 lawsuits…to obtain [the] constitutional right of political participation to run for various elections.”

Konsowa added that he did not belong to any party or faction on the scene and that he would implement an “ambitious roadmap” as opposed to “counterproductive and outdated policies” which “fuel extremism and discontent.”

A few weeks later, Konsowa was charged with violating military laws for engaging in political discourse while still in service.

According to several media reports, Konsowa took a stance against the maritime border agreement and challenged laws banning army or police officers from participating in parliamentary elections.

A detailed December report published by “Ida2at” website traced the content of previously little-known Konsowa’s Facebook account in the past eight years, concluding he supported “the initiative to change” brought by former vice president Mohamed Baradei, opposed the Muslim Brotherhood, encouraged 30 June, and respected political activists including Wael Ghoneim, Alaa Abdel Fattah, and April 6 Youth Movement.

Mohamed Anwar Sadat
(DNE Photo)

Mohamed Anwar Sadat

A former member of the current parliament, Sadat was expelled earlier this year with a majority of votes. He had gradually become a political dissident. In an interview with Daily News Egypt in May 2016, Sadat complained about supporters of the president discrediting and distrusting people of differing opinions.

Sadat’s experience in parliament was short-lived. After serving for one year as the head of the Human Rights Committee, he was pressured to resign.
Following several critiques Sadat made of parliament, he faced backlash from Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal who accused him of distorting the image of the parliament before foreign entities, after which he was internally investigated and lost his membership.

Sadat’s tone became more and more critical of government performance and regime policies and he remains in dispute with the speaker.
A Reuters report had pointed out in October that Sadat intended to run in the election, after the “current leadership has stifled freedom of expression so tightly, the only way to criticize the government and address the country’s ills is to run for president.”

Sadat said in TV statements that he would make his announcement on Monday, but he already sent out a request issued by his electoral campaign to Abdel Aal in order to meet with MPs to collect endorsement signatures.

Moreover, in a letter sent to the National Electoral Commission in December, Sadat accused the national security apparatus of blocking his reservation of a conference room in a hotel.

Last but not least, conflicting news recently surfaced about the possibility that former chief of staff Sami Anan may join the race. His candidacy was previously floated during the 2014 election, which he eventually did not run for.

Election timetable

20-29 January: Candidates submit applications
31 January: Preliminary list to be published
1-2 February: Electoral commission receives objections to candidacies
6 February: Commission notifies excluded candidates, noring reasons. Candidates’ appeals will follow
22 February: Deadline to withdraw candidacy
24 February-13 March: Electoral campaigns
14-15 March: Silence period
16-18 March: Egyptians abroad vote
26-28 March: Egyptians in Egypt vote
2 April: First round results announced
If needed, a second round would start in mid-April.

January 13, 2018
A Wise Decision

Last Wednesday, I wrote an opinion piece entitled “A Crucial Year” that dealt, primarily, with the next presidential elections in Egypt in the first half of this year. In the coming weeks, when the official presidential campaign begins officially, once the list of the presidential candidates is announced in its final form by the newly-formed National Electoral Commission, the country will follow closely the developments of this campaign. I would argue that this popular interest is rooted in the aspirations that the next presidential campaign would be, hopefully, different from the previous ones.

I guess the country expects and hopes for a serious and transparent campaign that is not dissimilar from presidential campaigns in democratic countries.

If this will be the case, Egyptians will take it very seriously. Such involvement will be reflected in the turnout at the ballot box on elections day. One condition is for the timeline of the campaign to be published by the Electoral Commission on Monday, January 8, 2018, according to a statement by its official spokesperson.

Needless to say, Egyptians, in their majority, would like to see serious and credible contenders for the highest office in Egypt, including President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, in case he decides to run for a second term. So far, there is one contender, Khaled Aly, a lawyer by profession. Another possible candidate is Muhamed Anwar El Sadat, the chairperson of the “Reform and Development” political party who has written that if he decides to run, he would insist on the fairness, transparency of the whole electoral process, from start to finish.

He further criticized the extension of the Emergency Law, for another three months, expressing his fears that the government could – according to his public remarks on the issue – use the Law to prevent normal campaigning for all presidential candidates save the one concerning the incumbent candidate .He warned that he would withdraw from the presidential race – once he is an official candidate – if he feels that such a race lacks seriousness, or if his supporters would be harmed in any way.

The spokesperson for Khaled Aly’s presidential campaign, Khaled Al-Balshy, an avowed political opponent to the Egyptian government and a darling for some Western news outlets, said that Khaled Aly would not take part in the presidential elections if they are “phony”, without explaining what would turn them into such an exercise. He called for the abrogation of the Law of Emergency or to waive certain articles in this Law when it comes to campaigning, for example, the right to hold public rallies in support of the various candidates.

One thing is certain by now when it comes to who would be the candidates. General Ahmed Shafiq, the former and last prime minister in the Mubarak government, who came second in the 2012 presidential elections against Islamist president Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood announced on Sunday, January 7 that he decided not to run, after conferring with the members of the political bureau of his “National Movement” party.
He tweeted that he did not think that he would be the right candidate in the next presidential elections, after his five-year absence from the country, that had begun the day that followed Morsi’s victory. He went on to say that he reconsidered his previous position to run which he had announced a few weeks ago from the United Arab Emirates.
He added that his absence from the country prevented him from following, closely enough, the developments that Egypt has been witnessing in this relatively long period of being away, from a political point of view.

Theoretically speaking, the presence of General Shafiq in the presidential contest could have turned it into a more exciting and lively contest, and would have provided Egyptians with an alternative to President Al-Sisi .

However, and from a practical stand point, it would have divided the country, and provided the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamists, in general, with an opportunity to further deepen the polarisation, both political and religious, that they have been causing for the last four decades in Egyptian society. A polarisation that greatly helped them win the 2012 presidential elections. One more important aspect of the decision not to run by General Shafiq is the fact that the government would continue fighting terrorism with a unified voice. Previously, General Shafiq had implicitly criticised the way the government is leading this fight.

The great unknown in the 2018 presidential elections is which candidate Islamists altogether would choose as their representative in the upcoming race for the highest office in the land. Talk is that a former presidential candidate, Abdel Moneim abou El Fotouh, who has always claimed that he resigned from membership in the Muslim Brotherhood, something that I have doubted all along, could decide to run. Actually, he is the chairperson of a political party, called “Strong Egypt”. Ahmed Emam, a member in the party’s political bureau, said on Sunday 7 January that Abou El Fotouh would decide to run if he is sure that the necessary conditions for fair elections would be guaranteed.

Regardless of who would be the final contenders in the presidential race of 2018, the election process from start to finish should be fair, transparent, and ensure equal opportunity for all candidates, without discrimination whatsoever against any of them, even if President Al-Sisi would be running. What his supporters would enjoy during the campaigning process should not be denied to others, without exception. Egypt s future political stability calls for such fair and free elections. It would go a long way, indeed, to improve the standing and influence of Egypt on the world scene.

“Egypt, the Way Forward” should be the overarching slogan for the 2018 presidential campaign.

January 10, 2018
Shafiq renounces plans to run for 2018 presidential elections

Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under deposed president Hosni Mubarak and a 2012 presidential candidate, announced that he will not be running for Egypt’s 2018 presidential election, in a statement published on his Twitter account.

The former air force pilot had announced his bid to run in 2018 elections earlier in November and returned to Egypt after residing in the United Arab Emirates since Islamist former president Mohamed Morsi’s government issued an arrest warrant for him in the aftermath of the 2012 presidential elections.

Shafiq said that he re-evaluated his prior stance to run for 2018 elections, considering the fact that his absence from the country for more than five years has barred him from the careful follow-up of the latest developments and achievements made in Egypt, despite the difficult circumstances created by the acts of violence and terrorism.

“I saw that I would not be the best person to lead state matters during the coming period,” said Shafiq, adding that he hopes that the country will successfully complete its developments and achievements.

The Egyptian National Movement Party, led by Ahmed Shafiq, issued a statement on Sunday, which stated that the party had authorised Shafiq to decide whether he is willing to run for the presidency or not; in the light of what is required by the public interest.

In the meeting of party leaders, Shafiq discussed the party’s participation in municipal elections, how can they increase local government’s authority, and grant more powers to the members of the local government and parties, by allowing them to participate in executive decisions.

January 7, 2018
Shafiq denies detention allegations, says ‘free, not kidnapped’

Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said on Sunday that he is “free and not kidnapped.” In a phone call on Dream TV, Shafiq added that he previously announced his intention, “based on the information available to him”, to run for Egypt’s 2018 presidential election.

“Today, I’m in the country and I need to reconsider the issue [running for election], and to go down in the street to talk to people,” said Shafiq. He added that he was welcomed at Cairo International Airport, and is now staying at a hotel close to his house in the Fifth Settlement district of Cairo.

Media websites reported that the former Egyptian prime minister was arrested by Emirati authorities from his house in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and deported to Egypt on a private plane. Media reports further added that Shafiq has been detained since his arrival to Cairo.

Last week, Shafiq announced, from the UAE, his intention to run for Egypt’s 2018 presidential election. In a televised speech, Shafiq said that he is barred from travelling outside the UAE for no clear reason.

Shafiq’s lawyer Dina Adly said on her Facebook account that she met Shafiq at a hotel in New Cairo on Sunday. Adly added that the former presidential candidate confirmed his safety and that he was under no investigation or detainment.

Adly mentioned that UAE authorities told Shafiq that he had to leave and he was no longer welcome, saying he is a ‘persona non grata’.

Shafiq’s family said earlier that they know nothing about him since he was escorted from his home by the UAE authorities on Saturday.

Shafiq was the last prime minister under Mubarak’s regime. Following the revolution of 2011, he became actively involved in politics.

He was the head of the Egyptian Patriotic Movement and came second in the first presidential election after the revolution. He has lost the presidential race to Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, gaining 48.27% of the votes, versus 51.73% for Morsi.

An arrest warrant was issued for Shafiq in the aftermath of the 2012 presidential election, which made Shafiq leave Egypt to the UAE.

December 4, 2017
Op-ed review: writers support Al-Sisi, say MB backing Shafiq

Ahmed Shafiq continued to receive media attention as he returned to Egypt for the first time since he left to the UAE after the 2012 presidential elections. Shafiq announced his intention to enter the presidential election against President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who is expected to run for a second term.

In state-run daily Al-Ahram, Head of the Supreme Media Council Makram Mohamed Ahmed wrote an op-ed titled “Al-Sisi and Shafiq” where he strongly argued that Al-Sisi should continue a second presidential term and advised that it would be better for the country’s sake if Shafiq did not run.

Ahmed opined that Shafiq would be backed by the Muslim Brotherhood for the sole reason of affecting Al-Sisi’s popularity and dividing national unity.

“Shafiq, the Muslim Brotherhood and others” was the title chosen by Al-Ahram’s Ahmed Abdel Tawab for his column, where he suggested that it would not be through coordination with Shafiq that the Muslim Brotherhood provides him support, but rather, their opposition to Al-Sisi that will drive them towards doing so.

Abdel Tawab touched upon another group of Shafiq supporters which he described as those who supported the 2011 revolution against Mubarak but would now back one of his men, in opposition to Al-Sisi.

Also in state media, Al-Akhbar’s Abla El-Roweini described Shafiq’s actions in the past days as “fake”, comparing his statement that he was banned from travelling by the UAE with Lebanese PM Saad Al-Hariri’s “fake claims” that he was held by Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, she said he chose Al-Jazeera channel to obtain the support of the Muslim Brotherhood, despite him previously calling the elections which brought his former rival Mohamed Morsi to power “forged”.

Mohamed Barakat also wrote in Al-Akhbar that Shafiq has the right to present himself as a presidential candidate according to the law, but that the Egyptian people after 30 June “know very well who deserves their confidence based on experience and achievement, and also know who does not.”

TV presenter and supporter of the regime, Emad Adeeb, wrote in the privately-owned daily Al-Watan that he did not mind the return of Shafiq but that he would personally vote for Al-Sisi.

In the private Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper, young writer Omar Taher stated in his piece that the media succeeded in affecting people’s subconscious. “Say to anyone that someone intends to run for the presidency and you will immediately find them confused and already thinking of the destiny of that insane person who decided to become a candidate,” Taher wrote.

His opinion mostly focused on how ordinary citizens have become politically confused in the years following the revolution to an extent where it is difficult to speculate Shafiq’s chances of success.

As for the private Al-Youm Al-Sabea newspaper, Dandarawy Al-Hawary, from its editorial team, wrote that Shafiq left the UAE after his “plan to embarrass the country and Egypt” was foiled. Like El-Roweini, Hawary accused Shafiq of faking the scenario of being banned from travelling like Al-Hariri. Al-Hawary further decided that Shafiq bet on the Muslim Brotherhood and that his patriotic claims are false.

Last but not least, editor-in-chief of the private Al-Bawaba News and former Shafiq supporter Abdel Reheem Ali wrote Sunday that he once backed him against the enemies—the Muslim Brotherhood—but now that he sealed the deal with those enemies, he will oppose him.

Abdel Reheem argued that Shafiq was delusional to think that he currently enjoys the same support he did during the previous election and accused him of turning against those who assisted him in the past five years.

December 4, 2017
UAE authorities detain, deport Ahmed Shafiq to Egypt

Former Egyptian prime minister Ahmed Shafiq was arrested by Emirati authorities at his house in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and deported to Egypt on a private plane, Shafiq’s lawyer Dina Adly told the BBC.

Shafiq announced last week his intention to run for Egypt’s 2018 presidential election, saying he would be returning to Egypt in the next few days. In a televised speech, Shafiq said that he is barred from travelling outside the UAE for no clear reason.

Shafiq was the last prime minister under Mubarak’s regime. Following the 2011 revolution, he became actively involved in politics.

He was the head of the Egyptian Patriotic Movement and was the runner-up in the first presidential election after the revolution. He lost the presidential race to Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, gaining 48.27% of the vote to Morsi’s 51.73%

An arrest warrant was issued for Shafiq in the aftermath of the 2012 presidential election, leading him to leave Egypt for the UAE.

December 2, 2017
Ahmed Shafiq announces bid for 2018 election: Reuters

Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under deposed president Hosni Mubarak and a 2012 presidential candidate, announced that he intends to run for Egypt’s 2018 presidential election and that he will be returning to Egypt “in the next few days”, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
Shafiq said in a video declaration sent to Reuters and a telephone statement, that he is “honoured to announce” that he will run so “Egypt [can] select its president for the next four years.”
The former air force pilot has been residing in the United Arab Emirates since Islamist former president Mohamed Morsi’s government issued an arrest warrant for him in the aftermath of the 2012 presidential election. Shafiq narrowly lost that race to Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, gaining 48.27% of the vote, versus Morsi’s 51.73%

November 29, 2017
Ahmed Shafiq free to return to Egypt after ban lift

General Prosecutor Nabil Sadek ordered on Monday the removal of former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq from the nation’s travel ban and arrival watch lists. On 16 November, a Cairo criminal court had ruled to remove him from the watch lists.

In 2012, Shafiq, who was also the former prime minister in 2011, was barred from travelling and was added to the arrival watch list. At the time he was under investigation for corruption charges in tandem with the sons of former president Hosni Mubarak. In 2013 he was acquitted of all charges.

Just two days after Shafiq had lost the presidential election to Mohamed Morsi in 2012, he fled to the United Arab Emirates, where he has remained since.

Professor in criminal law Mahmoud Kobesh told Daily News Egypt: “Shafiq can participate in political life as this is a right granted by the constitution, as long as his legal situation is fine.”

Commenting on alleged tensions between Shafiq and the current regime reported by some news outlets, Kobesh said that this still does not prevent Shafiq from returning to the political sphere in Egypt.

Shafiq was the last prime minister in Mubarak’s regime and following the revolution of 2011 he became actively involved in politics. He was the head of the Egyptian Patriotic Movement.

December 21, 2016
Ahmed Shafiq pursues court case to have name removed from ‘wanted’ list

Former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq is hoping to have his name lifted from the list of suspects wanted upon arrival and the travel ban list at Egyptian airports. On Sunday, the court examining his request postponed the session to 15 August, state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reported.

Shafiq, who flew to the United Arab Emirates two days after he lost the run-off presidential elections in June and has remained there since, was added to the border watch-list in late August.

Shafiq had faced accusations over illegitimate land selling and corruption in association with the sons of former president Hosni Mubarak. In 2013, the Cairo Criminal Court acquitted them from charges.

Shafiq had filed an appeal against the presidential election results which brought former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi to power in June 2012. He pledged for the forgery of electoral results.

Although less influential to the public since his leave, Shafiq has continued to be a thorn in the regime’s side. The media has been tied down not to speak to him, or about him. A media gag was imposed in the alleged elections forgery case, even though a later court verdict annulled the decision.

In October 2014, former editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm was summoned for investigations for publishing an announcement in the newspaper, promising to expose all details of the case and publish all related legal documents.

In December 2014, a copy of the local Al-Mesreyoon newspaper was censored at the printing house. According to the newspaper’s statement, a statement by the newspaper’s editor-in-chief seemed to have displeased security officials.

The editorial discussed the leaks attributed to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and the relationship between Shafiq and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, suggesting the existence of political competition between the two.

In June 2015, Shafiq appeared in an interview with TV host Abdul Reheem Ali─amid many unconfirmed claims of security interference with the broadcasting of the interview

August 7, 2016
Shafiq joins wave of criticism against government in islands dispute

The former presidential runner-up Ahmed Shafiq weighed in on the latest political controversies, poking criticism at the government and regaining some momentum after having been away in the UAE for almost four years, removed from actively taking part in the Egyptian political scene.

Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister issued a statement late on Monday highlighting a rise of “bad incidents”, specifically mentioning the “post-Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dame (GERD) water disaster and sudden collapse in traditionally prominent relations with the friendly Italian people”.

The statement culminated in censure over the recent dispute over the two Red Sea islands, Sanafir and Tiran, over which the government relinquished authority to Saudi Arabia.

Egypt’s cabinet announced Saturday that Sanafir and Tiran will now fall under the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia, after revising the demarcation of maritime borders. The announcement came during Saudi King Salman bin Abdel Aziz Al-Saud’s visit to Cairo.

The demarcation of maritime borders and the transition of authority over the two islands sparked widespread public debate in Egypt over their rightful ownership.

Across social media platforms, regime supporters have attempted to prove the ownership of both islands to Saudi Arabia in order to support the cabinet’s decision, while the opposition, rights groups, and activists have rejected the decision, stating that both islands are part of Egypt’s sovereign borders.

They described the decision as “treason”, with many claiming the land was “sold” in return for Saudi investments, using a hashtag that translates to “the land was sold” to promote their stance.

Shafiq welcomed the visit and praised Salman, while he questioned the way the government dealt with its recent political crisis.

“Is it lack of experience and weakness of management? Is it unfitting choices of those who manage crises? Is it delayed decision-making, forgetting that part of the decision is its timing? Is it the rejected monopolisation of critical decision-making, which should be shared with all the people, not just their representatives?” Shafiq questioned.

The former air force commander compared the method in which the current government handled the situation of the maritime demarcation to the Egyptian-Israeli negotiations over Sinai’s Taba. The dispute over the resort town was resolved when it was restored to the Egyptian authority after it was occupied by Israel during the 1967 war.

Shafiq joined the mounting protests against the government’s handling of the dispute, calling for the release of documentation that proves the islands belong to Saudi Arabia.

The politician left Egypt for the United Arab Emirates in June 2012. His departure came just days after the announcement of the final results in the presidential race, which saw the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi become president.

Shafiq has remained in the UAE since, amidst reports he was “persona non grata” by the Muslim Brotherhood and the regimes that followed.

April 12, 2016