Responding Prophetically to Sisi’s Stance on the Ability of the Egyptian People to Critique the Army

By Rabih Hasbany

News

Recently in Egypt, there has been a growing split between supporters and opponents of President Sisi’s stance and subsequent statement on the Egyptian people’s condemnation of the army and recent acts by the police. During a visit to the new town of Alamein, Sisi declared that the army and the police are making many sacrifices to defend the country, but the Egyptian people do not appreciate the high price paid by these two national forces. He particularly addressed the media, saying: “I will not allow any insult to the army and police as long as I exist […] insulting the army or police is not ‘freedom of opinion’.” The Egyptian president added that insulting the army is considered high treason and will be confronted by law.

President Sisi’s statement came after the government complained about recent foreign media coverage of the country’s news and a recent report published by the BBC concerning an Egyptian girl, Zubeida. The report, which the government claims contains “absolute falsification and fabrication,” also details instances of torture and forced disappearances by the security forces since 2013, when Sisi led the military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi following mass protests against his rule. The report included an interview with Zubeida’s mother, who said her daughter was detained last April and that she had not seen her or heard from her since.

However, the Egyptian authorities refuted such claims when Zubeida appeared on an Egyptian talk show and denied that she had been detained or tortured by security personnel. She explained that she got married a year ago, but was not in contact with her mother. The mother told a pro-Muslim Brotherhood TV channel based in Turkey that her daughter had been “forced under torture” to appear on the talk show. It must be noted that Zubeida’s mother was arrested one day following Sisi’s declaration that “insulting the army and the police will be considered high treason.”

Analysis

Opinions have been divided between supporters and opponents of President Sisi’s statement regarding the ability to insult the army or police.

Dr. Medhat Najib, President of Egypt’s Liberal Party, said that Sisi’s statement seeks to preserve Egyptian national security, considering that the army and the police represent the pillars upon which security and stability are maintained in the country. He supported the President’s decision to confront by law those who insult the armed forces and praised the Egyptian army for countering terrorism and making sacrifices so that Egyptians can live in peace. Furthermore, the armed forces have made great efforts to confront terrorism in the wake of the bombing of the Patriarchal Church in Abbasia on December 11, 2016, let alone the role these forces are playing in protecting Egypt and the Egyptians and combatting militant terrorist groups in Sinai.

Writer and political analyst Alaa Farouk, however, represents an alternate point of view. “It is natural for Sisi to criminalize anyone who tries to offend the two largest institutions that support him in his project,” Farouk says, adding that “they will have a significant role in the completion of his journey during the second term of his presidency.” Farouk asks, “What does Sisi mean by ‘insult’? Does it include criticizing any actions outside the law committed by one of the two institutions, or is it a general designation of any attempt to reproach a uniformed member of the military or security forces?”

Farouk adds that no citizen should accept insulting security forces that are appropriately carrying out their tasks and protecting Egypt and its citizens. On the other hand, the security forces should not be authorized to violate the law and insult citizens. He explains, “The president should hold these forces accountable for insulting citizens.”

The Response of the Church

We may ask the question: What position can the Egyptian Church adopt to be a prophetic voice in its community? Should it stand in  favor of the president or should it oppose any regime deemed authoritarian?

For the Church to take an appropriate position, it is necessary first to define the meaning of “insult” in this context. What does insult mean? And, what doesn’t it mean? According to Cambridge Dictionary, an insult is an offensive remark or action. Morally, this is something that shouldn’t be acceptable. However, it should also be clear that insult does not mean “criticism” or the “condemnation of acts that are illegal or immoral.” It is the responsibility of the Church and all people to hold accountable rulers and officials in accordance with ethical norms and the rule of law, without insulting ruling authorities or the armed forces.

We see the best example of this kind of accountability in the Prophet Nathan’s rebuke of King David as well as how one might confront an authority who may be in violation of the law, ethics or basic morality. In 2 Samuel 12: 1-12, Nathan confronted King David after sinning with Bathsheba, the wife of one of David’s soldiers. The king plotted to kill her husband and take Bathsheba for himself. In response, Nathan narrates to David the story of a rich man who refrained from killing one of his own sheep to prepare a meal for a visiting traveler. Instead, he took the lamb belonging to a poor man. Upon hearing this story, David burned with anger against this rich man, judging him harshly. But, Nathan responded to David, declaring, “You are the man.”

The manner by which Nathan confronted King David, using a narrative story, forced David to examine and ultimately condemn himself and his own actions. The Egyptian and Middle Eastern Churches might follow this model in difficult situations requiring a prophetic voice, for the oftentimes dangerous task of speaking truth to power. The Church needs wisdom in expressing this prophetic voice, showing justice and confronting sin in a manner worthy of the followers of Christ.