Bassem Sabry - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Bassem Sabry

Bassem Sabry is an Egyptian political writer and commentator. On Twitter: @Bassem_Sabry

Military personnel stand next to an armoured personnel carrier during a protest near Al-Azhar University in Cairo October 20, 2013. Egyptian security forces fired bird shot and tear gas to prevent supporters of deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi from marching on Sunday to the site of a protest camp at Rabaa al-Adaweya mosque that was destroyed two months ago, a Reuters witness said. The crowd of about 500 people were students from Al-Azhar University. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLIT

Egypt’s New Protest Law Sparks Controversy

Bassem Sabry

Amr Moussa (L), chairman of the committee to amend the country's constitution speaks at a news conference, next to media spokesperson Mohamed Salmawy, at the Shura Council in Cairo September 22, 2013. Moussa has been selected to chair the committee entrusted with amending the constitution pushed through by deposed Islamist president Mohamed Mursi. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX13UNS

Problems Ahead For Egypt Constitution Debate

Bassem Sabry

People walk in front of defected posters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi and Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie in downtown Cairo August 29, 2013. After a stunning reversal in which the army seized upon a tide of public discontent to overthrow freely elected President Mohamed Mursi, the powerful state apparatus appears to have all but neutralised the Muslim Brotherhood to which he belongs. Poster (R) reads, "To be on trial... No reconciliation without justice, no justice without retribution

Who Is Egypt's Next President?

Bassem Sabry

Egypt's interim Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei speaks during a news conference with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (unseen) at El-Thadiya presidential palace in Cairo July 30, 2013. Egypt's rulers allowed Ashton to meet deposed President Mohamed Mursi, the first time an outsider was given access to him since the army overthrew him and jailed him a month ago, but ruled out involving him in any negotiations. She revealed little about what she called a "friendly, open and very frank" tw

The Uncertain Fate Of Egypt’s Political Parties

Bassem Sabry

Protesters cheer with drums near a poster of army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi as they gather for a mass protest to support the army in Tahrir square in Cairo July 26, 2013. Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi is under investigation for an array of charges including murder, the state news agency said on Friday, stoking tensions as opposing political camps took to the streets. Confirming the potential for bloodshed, two men were killed in confrontations in Alexandria and a further 19 were hurt, Mena news a

Understanding Egyptian Nationalism

Bassem Sabry

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi shout slogans against the military and the interior ministry as they make the "Rabaa" or "four" gesture, in reference to the police clearing of Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp on August 14, during a protest march towards El-Thadiya presidential palace in Cairo August 30, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX131HT

Is This the End ForEgypt's Muslim Brotherhood?

Bassem Sabry

A supporter of Muslim Brotherhood and ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi wrapped in an Egyptian flag sits on top of power pole during a protest in Cairo August 23, 2013. Mass protests called by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood mostly failed to materialise on Friday as the movement reeled from a bloody army crackdown on followers of Mursi. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX12UJ2

22 Key Points in Egypt's New Draft Constitution

Bassem Sabry

Soldiers stand guard on an armoured personnel carrier positioned outside Ramses Square, near al-Fath mosque in Cairo August 17, 2013. Egyptian authorities rounded up more than 1,000 Islamists as the Muslim Brotherhood leadership defiantly called a week of nationwide protests starting on Saturday after a day of carnage. After Friday's bloodshed in which more than 100 people died in clashes that pushed Egypt ever closer to anarchy, tensions were high with supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi

The Aftermath of 72 Tumultuous Hours in Cairo

Bassem Sabry

A poster of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi is seen on a make-shift barrier of sand bags made by members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Musi supporters to protect the sit-in area of Rab'a al- Adawiya Square, where they are camping, on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday after the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, in Cairo August 8, 2013. Islamist supporters of Mursi began marching to demand his restoration on Thursday after the military-led authorities that removed him held off from carrying

Why Egypt Shouldn't Break The Pro-Morsi Sit-Ins

Bassem Sabry

Why Egyptians Don’t Like America

Bassem Sabry

Supporters of deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi walk during an anti-army rally that started from their sit-in area around Raba' al-Adawya mosque, east of Cairo, July 30, 2013. Europe's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton, shuttled between Egypt's rulers and the Muslim Brotherhood on Monday in a mission to pull the country back from more bloodshed, but both sides were unyielding after 80 Islamist supporters were gunned down. The posters read, "Yes to legitimacy , No to coup". REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (EGYPT -

Egypt’s Precarious New Reality

Bassem Sabry

Anti-Mursi protesters wave with their flags happily to a military helicopter passes over where protesters chant slogans in a square where anti-Mursi protesters gather for the third day in Alexandria, July 2, 2013. President Mohamed Mursi clung to office on Tuesday after rebuffing an army ultimatum to force a resolution to Egypt's political crisis, and the ruling Muslim Brotherhood sought to mass its supporters to defend him. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX11A5Q

Saving Egypt's Third Democratic Transition

Bassem Sabry