Urgent Media Release –Feb. 18, 2011
On February 15, 2011, Egypt’s Military Council, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces,
formed a panel charged with drafting modifications to Egypt’s current (albeit suspended)
constitution. In forming this new panel, the Council dissolved another one that was formed in the
last days of Mr Mubarak’s rule, which included ten renowned, and ‘apolitical,’ judges, academics
and public personalities. Instead of relying on those experts, the Council created a new, smaller
panel that includes two Islamists. Not only is neither an expert person on constitutional issues,
but one is a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood and the other is a theorizer of extremist
views, especially regarding the position of non-Muslims in the Islamist state he proclaims.
By excluding from the panel political representatives from all other parts of the political
spectrum–even those behind or participating in the ‘January 25 Revolution’–the military appears
to be sending an unambiguous message regarding its bias (for whatever reasons) towards the
Islamists.
We at COPTIC SOLIDARITY were deeply concerned by the military’s earlier rejection of
creating a civilian council to share the responsibility of running the country during a transitional
period. We are also extremely disturbed and disappointed by the current Council’s intentions
regarding the whole concept of a ‘civil state’ in Egypt—one of the demands of the
Revolutionaries—and whether it indeed concocts a military-Islamist coalition to govern Egypt.
We at COPTIC SOLIDARITY call upon the military Council to perform its duties in a fair and
no divisive manner, leading the country towards a truly democratic system, based on liberty,
equality and secular principles.
We also call upon all political leaders and human rights organisms worldwide who have admired
or supported the popular revolution that toppled Mubarak’s despotic regime, to continue their
support of the Egyptian people against all attempts that would make them prey to any kind of
fascism.