Yassin: Assaults on Peaceful Protesters Show Former Regime Still in Control

Yassin: Assaults on Peaceful Protesters Show Former Regime Still in Control

Dr. Osama Yassin, Assistant Secretary-General of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said: “We support the right to peaceful protest and demonstration. The people rose in revolution so they would regain and enjoy their long lost freedoms.

"Those bandits carrying out the brutal, bloody attacks on the peaceful protesters are just a bunch of thugs hired by certain parties, the real criminals, to bring about a crisis before the presidential elections."

Stressing that no one has the right to attack or assault protesters and demonstrators under any circumstances, in an interview with the satellite TV channel ‘Al-Mihwar’, Dr. Yassin underscored the importance of demonstrators committing to peaceful protest.

He explained that people join demonstrations out of great concern for serious attempts to replicate the corrupt overthrown regime, as clearly indicated by the candidacy of Omar Suleiman and Ahmed Shafiq and the instant acceptance of the latter’s appeal.

Dr. Yassin also stressed that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) that runs the transition did not make serious and sincere attempts to purge the state administration of former regime officials.

"This shows that the former regime still exists and is still in control, but at this stage is just looking for a head. This head is the presidential candidate. So, the gains of the revolution and the democratization path are in real and imminent danger.

"We see myriad challenges and painful pitfalls on the rigorous road of democratic transformation. Every achievement in building state institutions is mined or booby-trapped in some way.

"After 30 million people turned out to vote, choosing members of parliament, in free and fair elections, we find the Constitutional Court stand in the way, hindering parliamentary progress.

"We find Parliament under threat of dissolution in several legal and constitutional ways. The same applies each time a formation of the Constituent Assembly is declared."

On threats and accusations flying between Parliament and the Cabinet, Yassin said: "This is a conflict of wills, not a power struggle. There is the will of the revolutionary people who want a government that reflects the revolution’s achievements and endeavors to fulfill its demands and requirements".

He explained that there is a will to burn this parliament politically, adding that: “Parliament has been working for three months under severe media barrage. The Egyptian citizen is always asked the wrong question by all TV channels: ‘What has Parliament done for you?’ Whereas the real question should be: ‘What has the government done for you?’ Parliament has only legislative and oversight power, while the Cabinet has executive power and should actually serve the citizen".

Dr. Yassin said that, "With serious obstacles appearing on the road from despotism to democracy, the mismanagement of the transition phase, our fear for the gains of the revolution, the old regime holdovers looming on the political landscape, and independent personalities – who would stand at an equal distance from all political parties and stakeholders – refusing to enter the presidential elections, we were forced to field our own presidential candidate".