Constitutional court deputy celebrates Sisi’s revolution on revolution

An address given by Maher Samy, deputy head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, during Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s inauguration ceremony on Sunday contrasted from the one he gave when ousted President Mohamed Morsi took his oath in 2012.                                                                                                                              

“If the revolution doesn’t reconcile its position with constitutional principles, through a solid constitutional frame, and turns to brutality in its activities and its methods and violates what the people expect of it, [the people are] no longer under the obligation to obey it, and they get the right to revolt against it and disobey it and take it out of power, this is the revolution on the revolution," Samy said. "June 30 is a prime example of what the late respected man said,” a reference to a former head of the court, Awad al-Morr.

“The January 25 revolution managed to shake the foundations of the system, and to demolish its thrones and its cracked and hollow castles,” he continued, “but those who started it didn’t stay in the square and went their separate ways before achieving what they revolted for, so the revolution fell captive to a group that pounced on it and ripped it to shreds, as it did the whole nation.”

Samy defended June 30, claiming it was neither "an adventure prompted by bouts of emotions" nor a "coup like many have claimed."

"It was a revolution by the people who have had enough destruction and injustice,” Samy said, “in the moment of danger that pained the nation and threatened its destruction … the army embraced the people and listened to their heartbeat … the leader and his soldiers’ heartbeats were in unison with Egyptians’ heartbeat and they both merged, demolishing oppression and tyranny. This is June 30 that we are celebrating today.”

As Morsi took the oath two years earlier, Samy lauded the January 25 revolution and the establishment of what he called “the second republic.” He described the election then as “a divine valuable occasion,” written by the people’s will after revolting against the unjust, tyrannical and corrupt.

“The [Supreme] Constitutional Court is overwhelmed with happiness and pride as it upholds constitutional legitimacy,” he said, adding that the court learnt that the people do not rise only with constitutions but through a steadfast, proud and independent judiciary.

The inauguration procedures Sunday were different in other ways when compared to the ceremony which saw Mohamed Morsi come to power in June 2012.

On June 29, 2012 Morsi controversially took his oath in Tahrir Square in a famous address where he opened his jacket to show the crowd that he was not scared and was not wearing a life vest. The next day, Morsi took an oath in the Supreme Constitutional Court, just in the presence of its members.

Two years later, Sisi took the oath in the presence of outgoing interim President Adly Mansour alongside other officials, in addition to members of his family.

Following his swearing in, Morsi headed to Cairo University to give his first speech then went to the military hikestep area to formally take over the power from the army.

Sisi, on the other hand, was welcomed in the Ettehadiya Presidential Palace by leaders of Arab and Western nations after taking his oath.