Riots – Mubarak Verdict

Two days ago, Cairo’s High Court handed down a verdict on the one-time Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak. Their verdict stated he was not guilty of ordering the killings of Egyptians who took part in the 25^th January 2011 Arab Spring demonstrations. Nearly four years later, Egyptian tempers ignited in violence and street riots resulting in 2 deaths and many injuries – all in protest against the High Court’s decision.

According to one demonstrator, even the religious and political divides were momentarily healed in united efforts against this exoneration of Mubarak, although the dictator is still serving 2 other consecutive prison terms for stealing and bribery.

In America, the streets of Ferguson, Missouri burned with rage and destruction over their Grand Jury’s non-indictment verdict against Darren Wilson, the policeman who shot and killed 18 year-old Michael Brown. Inflamed against this verdict, protestors marched to the governor’s mansion. The media rings with legal discussions, news programs, and commentators dedicating hours to understanding this non-indictment verdict and what will happen next. At least in America, there is always hope, though slim, for change, for America has a legal system which has the potential to bring sense and change to dilapidated verdicts. On the other side of the world, in Egypt, there is a legal system, there has been hope for change since 2011, but the road to positive transformation is much more than bumpy, it’s fraught with jagged rocks. One step up and two steps back until more order, freedoms, and economic surety can be restored to Egypt and Egyptians.

Since 2011, Egypt has been stymied in each effort to climb out of economic downturns, cultural and religious frictions. Although the military was called in to quell the street riots in Cairo this week, Egyptian president al-Sisi has yet to issue any official statement regarding the High Court’s verdict. When he does, what he says will either create larger chasms on Egypt’s road to recovery or he may find some ground to begin healing the huge breaches among the various factions which stand in the way of forward progress for Egypt.

The real comparison between the two situations this week – Cairo and Ferguson – are the court systems and how their power affects those directly involved. America stands as a world-wide exemplar for democracy, but many claim that last week’s Ferguson verdict has clouded this vision. The Grand Jury process is not transparent, and has led many Americans to doubt the honest functionality of this part of our legal system. On the other side, many of Egypt’s people want the beginnings of a democracy, but without a judicious and transparent court system, this is virtually impossible. Governments depend on the openness of their legal systems, citizens hope for fair verdicts, and as demonstrated this past week, stability and integrity depend on courts upholding the highest principles of justice.