This undeniable issue is present almost everywhere law enforcement is active, whether committed once every blue moon or every interaction. Police brutality, according to U.S. Legal, is “a civil rights violation that occurs when a police officer acts with excessive force by using an amount of force with regards to a civilian that is more than necessary.” Torture is defined as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person,” according to the first article of Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Torture and brutality by police and other law enforcement was, and still is, very common in Egypt under Hosni Mubarak. Presently, Mubarak is no longer the leader in During the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, police officers used excessive tactics to clear crowds such as tear gas, rubber bullets aimed at the head, by piling bodies on curbs. Egyptian citizens' human rights are being violated entirely, article five of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights expresses that no human shall be put through torture or any other cruel treatment that makes them feel less than human. This violated human right, along with more, will continue to cause conflict in Egypt.
Egyptian police clash with protesters in tahrir square
The problem initially began in 1891 when Mubarak received power in Egypt as a quasi-military leader. The assassination of his predecessor, Anwar Sadat, was conducted by Islamist militants and caused Mubarak to rule under Emergency Law which disregarded basic freedoms and empowered the state to protect the country from Islamic terrorists. As a result of Mubarak’s method to rule, massive protests erupted throughout Egypt. Law enforcement officers are called to clear protesters using brutal methods which end up igniting the protesters and further escalating the issue. Police officers simply believe they are just enforcing the law and trying to protect their own lives.
A well-known activist against police brutality in Egypt is Hafez Al Sayed Seada, he is currently the Secretary General of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights. EOHR is a non-governmental organization that investigates, reports, and monitors violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ihab Youssef is a formal high ranking police officer in Egypt who left the force to create a non-governmental organization dedicated to improving relations between police and citizens. The Egyptian government is a great barrier in this cause to promote human rights. Brutality is still present even after Mubarak's regime. The problem isn't just the police officers but those above them who harass, poorly train, and poorly pay them. No one in those higher governmental positions desire to hear any ideas about reform or change, they're in denial of the problem.