Table Of Contentjudges and generals in the making of modern egypt
Why do authoritarian regimes survive? How do dictators fail? What role do
political institutions play in these two processes? Many of the answers to these
questions can be traced to the same source: the interaction between institutions
and preferences. Using Egypt as a case study, Professor Mahmoud Hamad
describes howthe synergy between judges andgenerals createdthe environment
for the present government and a delicate balance for its survival. The history of
modern Egypt is one of the struggle between authoritarian governments, and
forces that advocate for more democratic rights. While the military has provided
dictatorial leaders, the judiciary provides judges who have the power to either
support or stymie authoritarian power. Judges and Generals in the Making of
ModernEgyptprovidesahistoricallygroundedexplanationfortheriseanddemise
ofauthoritarianism,anditisoneofthefirststudiesofEgypt’sjudicialinstitutions
withinasingleanalyticalframework.
MahmoudHamadisanassistantprofessorofpoliticalscienceatCairoUniversity
andthefoundingsecretarygeneraloftheArabAssociationofConstitutionalLaw
(2016–2018).HepreviouslytaughtattheUniversityofUtah,Drake,andBrigham
YoungUniversity.Duringhisgraduatestudies,hewontwoFulbrightawardsatthe
UniversityofWashingtonandtheUniversityofUtah.
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Judges and Generals in the Making
of Modern Egypt
how institutions sustain and
undermine authoritarian regimes
MAHMOUD HAMAD
Cairo University
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Contents
List of Figures page vi
List of Tables vii
Acknowledgments viii
List of Abbreviationsand Acronyms x
1 Introduction 1
2 TheHistoricalLegacies and the Institutional Culture
of the Egyptian Judiciary 37
3 Nasser’s Egypt: Charisma, Populism, and the Attacks on
Judicial Independence 74
4 TheYears of Sadat: Crisis, Regime Survival,and the
Awakening of Judicial Activism (1970–1981) 110
5 Judicial Politics under Mubarak: Judges and the Fall of
the Pharaoh (1981–2011) 147
6 TheSCAF, the Courts,and Islamists:Judges and Political
Transition (2011–2012) 203
7 Mursi and the Judiciary: TheSelf-Fulfilling Prophecy
(2012–2013) 221
8 Patricians and Plebeians: TheChiefJusticePaves the Road
to the General (2013–2014) 246
9 Old Wine in aNew Bottle: Sisi, Judges, and the Restoration
of the Ancien Régime (2014–2018) 268
References 304
Index 320
v
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Figures
3.1 Nasser speeches per year (1952–1970) page79
3.2 The frequencyofdemocracy, freedom, andjustice
inNasser’s Revolution Day speeches(1954–1970) 83
4.1 The frequencyofdemocracy, freedom, andjustice in
Sadat’s May 15 speeches (1970–1981) 117
5.1 The frequencyofdemocracy, freedom, andjustice in
Mubarak’s Openingof Parliament speeches(1981–2010) 150
5.2 The aggregate number of“rule of law”mentions in
presidentialdiscourse (1954–2010) 150
6.1 The percentage ofseats by party in the 2011–2012People’s
Assembly elections 214
7.1 The numberof days the SCC needed toconductabstract
review 244
9.1 Map ofthe hierarchy ofthe prosecution office (judicialyear
2017–2018) 284
vi
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Tables
1.1 Historical map ofthe important dates inthe development
of the Egyptian judiciary page 14
5.1 Details the professional career of the Public Prosecutor
Abdal-MajedMahmoud 169
6.1 Votes inthe first round ofthe presidentialelections 211
6.2 Votes inthe second roundof the presidential elections 212
6.3 SCCsessions in 2012 (judicialyear 34) 217
vii
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Acknowledgments
This book is based on extensive field and archival research conducted
between 2004 and 2018. While the shortcomings in this work are mine and
mine alone, the virtues are widely shared. I am indebted to numerous
individuals who helped me through the life and academic journey. I am
enormously grateful for many of my family, friends, and colleagues who
encouraged me to commence the work, preserve with it, and finally publish
it.Thelistislong,andIsurelyforgetmany.Forthosewhoarenotindividually
mentioned, Iam exceedingly appreciative.
My late father planted in me thrust for political knowledge that I carried
untilthepresentday.Mymotherhasbeenthecentralfigureinmylifesince
my father’s early departure. She provided guidance, support, dedication, and
boundlessloveforwhichIamforevergrateful.Mywifeandmychildrenhad
toendure the long hours,exhaustion, and attention deficit that such massive
work entails.
My professors at Cairo University provided a world-class education. To
name just a few: Ali Eddin Hilal, Kamal El-Menoufi, Mostafa Kamel
El-Sayed, Mohamed Safi Eddin Kharboush, Hala El-Said, Galal Mouawad,
Ahmed Yousef, Nevine Mossaad, Nazli Moawad, Ibrahim Darwish, Laila
El-Khawaga, Gaber Awad, Hamed Quisay, Wadoda Badran, Nasr Arif,
Heba Rauf, Mohamed Kamal, Ola Abouzeid, Saif Eldin Abdelfatah, Hamdy
Abdelrahman,andHebaRauf.
The Fulbright program fellowships were instrumental in allowing me to
studyattheUniversityofWashingtonandtheUniversityofUtah.Myfellow-
ship at the University of Washington was a window into American graduate
education.DuringmytimeinSeattle,IwasfortunatetomeetTamirMoustafa
for whom I am grateful for asking me to read his dissertation proposal which
ignitedmyinterestinstudyingthepoliticalroleofthecourts.Myhostfamily
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Acknowledgments ix
during my time in Seattle provided a second home. Thank you, Emily
M. Wilson and Mike Rich.
At the University of Utah, Susan Olson has been the perfect adviser,
mentor, and friend. I was fortunate to have her advice and support over the
past 15 years. I was privileged also to have outstanding mentors: Matthew
Burbank,ClaudioHolzner,M.HakanYavuz,IbrahimKarawan,JimGosling,
and Mushira Eid. My colleague and friend Melissa Goldsmith provided
insightful commentson drafts ofthe work for which I am thankful.
Ialsowishtothankseveralcolleaguesforreadingandcommentingonthis
work at different stages of the project, including Tom Ginsburg, Nathan
Brown, Bruce Rutherford, Mary Volcansek, Zaid El-Ali, Kate Malleson, and
Michael Tolley.
A particular word of gratitude is due to the scores of Egyptian judges,
prosecutors, scholars, policymakers, and activists, who opened their minds
andtheirheartstogiveme theopportunity tounderstand theinner workings
oftheEgyptiancourts,itscomplicatedrelationshipwiththeexecutive,andthe
deepimprint courts have had on the politics and society.
Finally,IwouldliketothankmyeditoratCambridgeUniversityPress,John
Berger, and his entire team, for their excellent guidance through the book
publishing process.
This book is dedicated to my mother, wife, and sons: OmarandAli.
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