Every Egyptian citizen is now a potential terrorist

He asked the people to give him a mandate to combat potential terrorism, and then Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi created this terrorism himself and made it a reality on the ground. He did so in order to legitimise his place as head of state and use it as a bogie to make Egyptians fear a particular movement. He also did so in order to strengthen his position in the West, as he is supposedly combatting terrorism by Muslims and must be supported and helped by all means. This includes money, weapons, military equipment and supplies in order for him to eliminate terrorism in Egypt before it reaches the donor countries and threatens their existence.

It is a cheap exploitation exercise by a man who rode in on the back of a tank to rule Egypt, enslave its people and govern them with an iron fist. The law he passed recently, known as the terrorism law, is a translation of that. It turns every Egyptian into a potential terrorist. Indeed, it is a law that makes Egyptians completely dominated and submissive, and pushes them to do the unacceptable in order to avoid being accused of being a terrorist. They try to avoid this miserable fate because it would mean prison, torture and a violation of their humanity as well as the humanity of their family.

With this law, Al-Sisi has reinforced the republic of fear that he has established since the coup against the legitimate elected president, Dr Mohamed Morsi, two years ago. After the Egyptians broke the fear barrier with their great revolution on 25 January 2011, calling for freedom, a dignified life and social justice, he pulled them back into the confines of fear, humiliation and shame. Egypt has gone backwards, to a point worse than what it was during Abdel Nasser’s era of fascism and tyranny when heads rolled, mouths were gagged and all sanctities were violated. Now, the people are like slaves being driven wherever their master wants them to be, treated like animals with no other opinion than their master’s.

He is fighting terrorism, and no voice can be heard saying otherwise, or they are deemed to be terrorists in accordance with his new law, and they face immediate prosecution, even if they had participated in the 30 June protests and were among those who gave him the mandate to shed the blood of Egyptian citizens. He believes that he is the Supreme Being, God forbid, but this is the reality in Egypt and the reality of the coup leader’s treatment of the Egyptian people.

May God protect Egypt.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.