Egyptian Junta Tightens its Grip on the Police State:Egypt's new governor appointments draw criticism

Interim President Adly Mansour faces criticism for bringing Mubarak-era security officials back into the fold in governor appointments

Ahram Online , Tuesday 13 Aug 2013

"New governor appointments in Egypt by Interim President Adly Mansour brought a wave of criticism from groups and activists who decried the appointments of mainly former security officials to the posts.

 11 out of the 18 new appointments are former military officials and another 2 are ex-police generals. A further 9 deputy governors were also appointed.

Hossam Moenes, spokesperson for the leftist Egyptian Popular Current said on Twitter that the appointments don't "bode well."

Moenes described the move as a "continuation of the lack of transparency and a disregard for consultations and absence of standards which likens this government to its predecessors."

Mahmoud Afify, member of the 30 June Front – the front established after 30 June protests that led to former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's deposition –expressed his disappointment with the new appointments.

"The current government is following in the footsteps of previous Muslim Brotherhood and Supreme Council for Armed Forces governments by overlooking revolutionary figures as options, said Afify.

"Without exception, all of the appointees never – not even for one day – sided with the revolution or change. The status-quo continues," he told Al-Ahram's Arabic news website......

The Rebel (Tamarod) movement, which spearheaded the anti-Morsi protests that led to his ouster, stated reservations about the new appointments but stated it accepts them as part of the transitional process......

The appointment of former interior minister assistant Samy Sedhom as deputy governor of Sharqiya province caused an outcry by a number of activists, who accuse him of having had a prominent role in political repression during the Mubarak era.

Saying Sedhom was "responsible for torturing opposition activists in Mubarak's reign," activist Mona Seif of the No to Military Trials for Civilians Campaign condemned his appointment on her Facebook page.

"During the clashes in Mohamed Mahmoud, Samy Sedhom called us thugs. Over 70 martyrs were called thugs and now you're appointing him deputy governor. Why don't you give him the Nile Medal [Egypt's highest state honour]?" she implored......"