The emergency law has returned to Egypt less than two years
after Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power, when Mohammed Morsi
reintroduced it to curb unrest which claimed 33 lives over the
weekend. It is a remarkable move given that the law epitomised
much of what was wrong with Mubarak’s administration and fuelled
the anger against him. Provisions in the law allow police to
detain suspects indefinitely, often with little evidence;
subvert constitutional rights; and curb press freedoms. Mubarak
used these laws throughout his thirty year rule.  The Muslim
Brotherhood is sensitive to accusations of authoritarianism
despite Morsi frequently revealing his proclivity for
repression. He has already pushed through an Islamist
constitution which leaves minorities exposed and fails to
provide adequate protections for both freedom of expression and
religion.  Now, Morsi insists, the emergency law will only
operate for thirty days and only in those cities which
experienced violence over the weekend (Port Said, Suez, and Is