Shahmahmood Miakhel

A white bed sheet had been strung between two trees on a median just opposite the Sayeda Aisha mosque in a working class area of Cairo. Everything had been arranged by volunteers under the protection of Ahmed, a well-known personality in the neighborhood. He helped them pick a spot to set up the projector, screen, and speakers. All that was missing was a functioning street lamp to power the equipment, but those nearby had been disconnected. A generator that was usually rented out to street vendors was used instead.  

The Middle East Institute is proud to host Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid for a discussion about the state of affairs in Egypt in the wake of the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi.  Dr. Makram-Ebeid is a prominent Egyptian academic and former member of the Shura Council, who recently resigned in support of the Tamarod movement.  She will provide a first-hand perspective on the challenges ahead for Egypt following the recent military takeover of the government and the ensuing violence and unrest.Bios:Dr.

The Middle East Institute is proud to host Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid for a discussion about the state of affairs in Egypt in the wake of the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi.  Dr. Makram-Ebeid is a prominent Egyptian academic and former member of the Shura Council, who recently resigned in support of the Tamarod movement.  She will provide a first-hand perspective on the challenges ahead for Egypt following the recent military takeover of the government and the ensuing violence and unrest.Bios:Dr.

The Middle East Institute is proud to host Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid for a discussion about the state of affairs in Egypt in the wake of the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi.  Dr. Makram-Ebeid is a prominent Egyptian academic and former member of the Shura Council, who recently resigned in support of the Tamarod movement.  She will provide a first-hand perspective on the challenges ahead for Egypt following the recent military takeover of the government and the ensuing violence and unrest.Bios:Dr.

The Middle East Institute is proud to host Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid for a discussion about the state of affairs in Egypt in the wake of the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi.  Dr. Makram-Ebeid is a prominent Egyptian academic and former member of the Shura Council, who recently resigned in support of the Tamarod movement.  She will provide a first-hand perspective on the challenges ahead for Egypt following the recent military takeover of the government and the ensuing violence and unrest.Bios:Dr.

The Middle East Institute is proud to host Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid for a discussion about the state of affairs in Egypt in the wake of the overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi.  Dr. Makram-Ebeid is a prominent Egyptian academic and former member of the Shura Council, who recently resigned in support of the Tamarod movement.  She will provide a first-hand perspective on the challenges ahead for Egypt following the recent military takeover of the government and the ensuing violence and unrest.Bios:Dr.

Originally published July 10, 2013 in U.S. News and World Report

Assertions and opinions in this publication are solely those of the above-mentioned author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Middle East Institute, which expressly does not take positions on Middle East policy.

The Iranian diaspora in Malaysia is incredibly diverse. Supporters of the Green Movement, students, individuals who fast and pray and those who do not know the direction of the qibla, clerics who promote secularism and those who promote the authority of the vilayat-i faqih, Iranian Kurds, Turks, and Arabs, journalists, artists, and environmentalists: all these—and more—constitute the community of Iranians who have fled or quietly moved to Malaysia.

The dramatic events of July 3, which saw the unseating of Egypt’s first and only democratically-elected government by a military coup stimulated by enormous popular demonstrations, has created a huge question mark as to the future governance of the Arab world’s largest and most important country. The ramifications and repercussions will be playing out for months and years, whatever steps are taken in the next days and weeks. However, two parties acutely affected by these events are watching with particular concern.

Amid last week’s uproar, now deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi issued a statement in English via top aide and advisor on foreign relations Essam el-Haddad, citing cases of sexual assault in or around Tahrir Square as evidence that “Tahrir crowds are out of control.”[1] Essam el-Haddad’s son, Gehad, took to Twitter, also in English, to stand up for the “protection of women.” With these moves, the Muslim Brotherhood sunk to a new low in its propaganda war against its detractors.

Over the past two days, millions of Egyptians have taken to the streets, most of them calling for early presidential elections with the aim of ousting Mohamed Morsi. June 30 marked Morsi’s one-year anniversary as president, and while he was elected democratically in 2012, his actions since have been more in the authoritarian style of a Mubarak than a reformer with the demands of the Egyptian street in mind.

In the wake of yesterday’s outbreak of what has been called the largest protest ever, against Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, observers are left with one question: What comes next? None of the major players appear to have a practical answer to this question. For instance, no one has produced a politically sound “exit strategy” beyond the loud demand to remove Morsi and to hold a new presidential election.