Inside Story

Will the protests against Egypt’s President el-Sisi spread?

Corruption allegations against Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are triggering rare demonstrations.

Protests are rare in today’s Egypt.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has stifled dissent ever since he deposed his predecessor Mohamed Morsi in a military coup six years ago.

However, a government ban on protests has been defied in several cities over the past two nights. 

On Saturday, dozens were reportedly arrested near Cairo’s Tahrir Square where the 2011 revolution that overthrew longtime leader Hosni Mubarak unfolded.

El-Sisi has denied allegations made by a former military contractor that he wasted public money building palaces, luxury villas and hotels.

How will the president and the army respond to one of the biggest challenges to their rule so far?

Presenter: Imran Khan 

Guests: 

Amr Magdi – Middle East and North Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch

Tawfik Hamid – Egypt affairs analyst

Omar Ashour – Founding director of the Critical Security Studies Programme at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies