Egypt: decision to mark ‘Police Day’ raises questions

Egypt marked the 2011 revolution anniversary, all the while, there has been backlash from activists who claim the authorities are wiping the uprising from remembrance, according to The New Arab and agencies on January 25^th.

On January 22^nd,  the Interior Ministry sent messages to its staff and the public to mark what is known as “Police Day”, which has been observed on January 25^th annually, for tens of years. Despite the occasion’s relation to the revolution, this was not acknowledged by the ministry. Since the constitution implemented in 2012 and amended in 2014, the uprising has been a public holiday. But this lack of acknowledgement could suggest an official denial of the uprising.

The 2011 uprising was over police abuse and the regime’s inequalities. The protests gained enough traction to overthrow Hosni Mubarak. Egypt then had their first democratic election, ending with Mohamed Morsi becoming president, only to be overthrown by the current leader, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Since then, the cost of living has increased, and freedoms have been publicly under deliberation in 2026, with those associated with Mubarak’s regime appearing in pro-government media. These figures have been decrying the revolution and viewing the uprising as a conspiracy.

Former State Security Chief Hassan Abdel Rahman, who was a previous member of Mubarak’s regime, had in the past been charged for cases which relate to the killing of demonstrators and destruction of state security files during in the revolution. Moreover, a member of the Senate, Nagi El-Shehabi added: “We do not recognise 25 January as anything other than Police Day in Egypt”.

For over a decade, Egypt’s debts have increasingly grown in size and inflation has worsened drastically since Sisi’s regime began in 2014. Political prisoners and disappearances have also been highly enforced.

The New Arab Staff and agencies/ Maghrebi.org