Seeking Security

For the first time in four years, Egypt is no longer under a state of emergency. The government of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi made the decision following years of criticism from human rights advocates.President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi announced his decision in a Facebook post. He said the move came because “Egypt has become an oasis of security and stability in the region.”Related: Activists look to Congress after Biden requests military aid for Egypt without human rights conditionsEgypt has been under a continuous state of emergency since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981, with the exception of a few years following the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak. The state of emergency was reinstated in 2017 after two Coptic churches in the country were bombed by an ISIS affiliate.Related: Powerful countries break their silence on Egypt's human rights abusesThe state of emergency allowed for arrests without warrants, the swift prosecution of suspects and the establishment of special courts.