MORE ON EGYPT:

In addition to the unfair imprisonment of the liberal secular opposition figure Ayman Noor, the recent crackdown and arrests of protesters is yet another proof that the government has other enemies beside its traditional nemesis. These protesters who were demonstrating in support of two judges facing a disciplinary hearing came from different political persuasions, from Islamists to Marxists. Among them was Alaa Abdel Fatah, a prominent blogger and political activist.

My question to the Egyptian government is this: what crime did Alaa and the others who were arrested commit? Were they involved in the Dahab terrorist bombing? Was their peaceful demonstration in support of two judges whom they think were being unfairly targeted considered an attempt to undermine Egypt’s national security? And what crimes did the judges commit? Did they turn into criminals when they judged correctly and said that there were irregularities in last year’s parliamentary elections?

Frankly speaking, the Egypt regime has undergone a series of reform actions in the past year. Despite its shortcomings, the decision to amend the constitution to allow multiple candidates elections was a step in the right direction. We have been experiencing considerable press freedom for almost a year. Today several opposition papers directly attack the President and his family. It was unthinkable to do so in the past. Unfortunately, actions like the ones mentioned above make all these changes appear as if they were intended to be a décor aimed at convincing the West, and especially the United States, that the Egyptian regime is keen on reform. While the truth is, it would rather have political Islamists act as a “ghost” that scares the West than open up and face the possibility of allowing a secular alternative to blossom.

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