Video still above from YouTube user AhramOnline

The word “tamarod” means “rebel” in Arabic, and it is the term anti-Morsi activists are using to describe their call for a change in leadership.

On June 30, 2012, after winning a slim majority of the Egyptian electorate, Mohamed Morsi was sworn in for a four-year term as president—the first democratically elected leader after the Arab Spring deposed of Hosni Mubarak. But his first year in office has been marred by ongoing protests throughout Egypt, severe economic problems, and allegations that his administration is continuing the repressive tactics of Mubarak’s rule such as attacks on the press, mass detention, and human rights abuses.

Today on the Human Rights Channel, we’ve published a playlist compiling raw, advocacy and news footage (both in Arabic and English) about the anti-Morsi movement and ongoing protests:

Tamarod leaders are calling for an early election to replace Morsi, gathering thousands of signatures and organizing nationwide protests on June 30. As several of the videos here show, the movement has created strange alliances, including young activists who participated in the revolution and want better accountability in their new democracy; police and soldiers who point to Morsi’s failure as proof of the revolution’s futility; and opposition political parties.

Other Egyptians, however, fear that a call for Morsi’s resignation is premature. If not Morsi, they ask, who? And if democracy does not work for Egypt, then what political system does the country want? The Tamarod movement, they fear, could exacerbate the social and economic chaos that the country has suffered. During the massive June 30 protests, 16 people were killed, hundreds were wounded, and dozens of women reported sexual assault.

We’ll continue to update the playlist over the coming days. If you see a video related to the #June30 movement we should be aware of, please tweet us at @ythumanrights. Follow us on Twitter for updates on verified human rights video from citizens and activists around the world.

Special thanks to Middle East/North Africa program intern Shimaa Helmy who helped compile this playlist. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *