- Reform Issues
- March 8, 2011
- 3 minutes read
15 day detention order to 47 SS personnel
In an unprecedented event and a bid to placate protesters Egypt’s state security has seen a turn of the tables as Egypt has ordered the arrest of 47 state security officers accused of burning incriminating documents to cover up state abuses and violations.
Officers and security personnel were given a 15 day detention order for further investigation following events during the last three days. Protesters had broken into 11 offices belonging to the state security apparatus in Egypt, seizing any documents that they feared would be destroyed by officers to cover up abuses.
The state security service had been given much authority and freedom to act as it pleased under the former dictator Mubarak’s regime and as a branch of the Interior Ministry and had been met with much hatred which triggered the uprising that toppled the corrupt regime.
Under the Emergency law the State security service networks penetrated deep into society, monitoring citizens and tapping phone lines giving its officers wide powers to act against any political opposition including the Muslim Brotherhood.
Several state security buildings were set and witnesses said they had witnessed police burning documents in the building despite police allegations that the property was set alight by citizens.
Egypt’s armed forces are currently guarding all state security buildings across Egypt. And the interim military has called on citizens to return any salvaged documents so that the necessary legal procedures may be followed.