The Egyptian opponents abroad could play a great and effective role in saving their country if they took advantage of their current situation of living without being subjected to the regime’s oppression. Various anti-coup factions should be united, cooperative, and working together to achieve their common objectives. Since Egypt’s military coup on July 4, the situation has developed from only working to overthrow the regime to struggling to rescue the whole Egyptian nation, which is exposed to theft; and its land is being sold to others. The Egyptian people – with all their inclinations – are being slaughtered by the regime, which has turned the country into a large pool of blood over approximately five years. Therefore, the Egyptian military regime, being well aware of the significance of the role that the opposition can play abroad, has attempted many times to oppress the opposition abroad.
The regime moves this way
The procedures and practices carried out by the regime in the face of opponents abroad have varied, including:
1 – Dictating some of the so-called ‘battalions of electronic committees’ (Groups of fake accounts on the social networking sites usually run by intelligence services and used to formulate the public opinion and distort anti-regime public figures) to distort opponents abroad in attempt to create a crisis of confidence between the opposition forces inside and outside the country.
2 – Spreading intelligence officers within the Egyptians abroad to create a state of confusion among the regime opponents, and thwart any serious attempt to overthrow the brutal regime. It is naive to imagine that the regime could leave opponents abroad working freely and quietly on exposing its crimes. The intelligence agents also work to ignite differences and crises among the Egyptian opponents.
3 – Distortion of the media file, especially regarding the TV channels, through spreading rumours related to allegiance, funding, different agendas, as well as differences among opposition figures.
4 – Recently, the current military coup government has enacted a set of new anti-opposition laws to pressure opponents abroad, including “terrorism lists” and espionage cases (with Qatar, Turkey and Hamas). Recently, a bill has been discussed in parliament targeting thousands of opponents living abroad, threatening to impose harsh sentences against them amounting to life imprisonment for allegedly inciting against the Egyptian state.
The draft law states a tough punishment for anyone who criticises the regime or even holds any phone contribution or live interview with any anti-regime TV channels. The proposed charges include: posing threats to the stability of the regime and seeking to destabilize Egypt. Egyptian members of parliament have also demanded toughening some punishment articles in the penal code, for more repression of opponents.
Repercussions of the toughening the Penal Code
A – An attempt by the regime to paralyze the opposition activities abroad and prevent any protests or demonstrations that would reveal the abuses committed by the regime against Egyptians.
B – Although the regime is clearly supported regionally and internationally, however it is always concerned about the human rights issue which exposes its ugly face. So, toughening the Penal Code could be a constitutional means for punishing anyone who deals with such issues.
C – It is a new attempt by the regime to silence the families of detainees, the forcibly disappeared, and anyone subjected to violations by the regime.
Finally
The opposition abroad should be well aware of their significant (national) role and work hard to remain on the right path or at least avoid misguiding their grass roots, amid crises and dramatic acceleration of events. They should also realize that although they are targeted by the regime and its collaborators, they still represent a hope for the opposition inside the country.
Everyone, especially those who used to defend the values and principles of the revolution, should accurately document and monitor objectively all the events that take place.
