Counterrevolution in Egypt - by Hossam El-Hamalawy (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An in-depth look into the structure and methods of Egypt's security services in their war on dissent.

The agents of coercion in Egypt--its military, police, and intelligence services--have been locked in a perennial struggle for power since their inception. Each institution has vied for dominance, shaping and reshaping the country's political landscape. Yet, the seismic upheaval of the 2011 revolution forced these often rival factions to set aside their differences and forge an alliance in the face of an existential threat: the revolutionary aspirations of the Egyptian people.This book delves deep into the inner workings of the Egyptian security apparatus, offering a rare and comprehensive examination of the structures, hierarchies, and methods of the military, police, and intelligence agencies. Drawing on meticulous research, it unveils the strategies they deployed to suppress the revolutionary wave, from propaganda and surveillance to mass arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings. It illuminates the power dynamics within these institutions and how their uneasy unity was both a response to the revolution and a determinant of its eventual fate.

Review Quotes

"Anyone wanting to understand the despiriting end of the Arab uprising in Egypt and do no better than this magisterial, harrowing, richly researched book. Drawing on mountains of Arabic language sources, a sophisticated understanding of Arab revolutionary politics, and his own experience as an activist and dissident in Egypt, Hamalawy has produced an instant classic."
--Laleh Khalili, author of Time in the Shadows: Confinement in Counterinsurgencies

About the Author

Hossam el-Hamalawy is a journalist and socialist from Cairo, who was among the organizers of the 2011 uprising. He has been involved in the labor movement, and the fight against police brutality in Egypt. He currently lives in Germany, where he received in PhD in Political Science.