John Minchillo

EGYPT: State, Uncertain

In the aftermath of former president Hosni Mubarak's fall at the hands of the January 25th Revolution, the national mood across Egypt has shifted from euphoria to unease. Although many speak of the ongoing struggle towards freedom and representation, revolutionaries are struck by how the entrenched remnants of the old regime stubbornly cling to power.

The Supreme Court of Armed Forces (SCAF) took authority from Mubarak and continue to enforce emergency laws that allow for arrest and prolonged detainment without reason, as well as subjugation to military tribunals and harsh punishments without appeals. Armed soldiers populate the area in and around Tahrir Square and informants roam the streets.

The citizenry are divided along idealogical lines. In the face of a slipping economy and collapsed tourism market, many wish for stability while some demand it at any cost, even if it entails a state controlled by the SCAF. Elections are continuously delayed and their credibility is cast in doubt. Despite their sacrifices, the Egyptian people live in a state of uncertainty.

Graffiti lauding the January 25th revolution adorns a wall near Cairo's Tahrir Square. Symbols of the revolution and the continuing rebellion against the Supreme Court of Armed Forces are found on walls throughout Cairo, especially the downtown area.
   
Protestors gather on a side street outside Tahrir Square during a massive demonstration against the SCAF to demand expedited elections. The elections continue to be delayed despite many promises by the authorities.
   
A young protestor speaks into a microphone outside the journalist's syndicate in downtown Cairo. Although sporadically criticizing the SCAF, the syndicate and its journalists cannot be relied upon to deliver unbiased news due to government corruption.
     
  
A drawing of SCAF soldiers gunning down civilians is posted outside a meeting room inside a Communist activism headquarters in Cairo. Various groups are lobbying the public for influence in the upcoming elections.
   
Curious Egyptians attend a meeting in a communist activism headquarters in Cairo. Women have become a major presence in post-revolution activism, holding meetings and speaking at rallies.
   
Newspapers are stacked in Tahrir Square for free dissemination during a protest. Once banned under Mubarak's rule, Islamic newspapers and other political periodicals are becoming commonplace in Egyptian society.
     
  
A youth wears an "I Love Egypt" t-shirt with his face covered during a demonstration outside the Interior Ministry in Cairo. The ministry is home to the police forces and a symbol of Mubarak's regime.
   
Protestors rally in Tahrir Square to rail against the SCAF and demand expedited elections. Pictures of young men who lost their lives during the revolution are a commonplace symbol to remind weary citizens of the lives sacrificed to oust Mubarak.
   
English graffiti insulting the police force is sprayed across walls throughout Cairo. Although an Arabic speaking country, many Egyptians opt to graffiti in English as a means to reach a wider audience.
     
  
A man reads papers listing people's demands that are taped around a tree in Tahrir Square's roundabout. As the euphoria of Mubarak's ouster has subsided more individualized demands are surfacing, pitting many groups against each other in their pursuit of influence in the coming elections.
   
Youth activists involved with Students for Change meet in a home to discuss their groups goals and future. This particular group seeks to improve the education system they see as underperforming and not providing them with the skills they need to compete.
   
A man holds a framed portrait of his loved one during a meeting of activists. Portraits such as these serve as a reminder of the lives lost during the January 25th revolution.
     
  
A boy sits on a curb near parliament in Cairo. Restlessness and bordom, an ongoing problem among the youth, especially boys, has only been compounded by the revolution's wake of uncertainty.
   
A child has his face painted with the colors of the Egyptian flag in Tahrir Square. A market for revolutionary flags and trinkets has cropped up in Cairo although there are far fewer tourists than the capital hosted before the unrest.
   
Protestors beat drums before tearing down the government-built wall outside the Israeli embassy. The wall, torn down by protestors once previously, stoked tension among the populous and instigated clashes in the streets that encouraged the SCAF to reinforce the emergency laws.
     
  
Protestors use a fallen light post to ram down the government-built wall outside the Israeli embassy. The wall, built and torn down by protestors once previously, was painted with the colors of the Egyptian flag in an effort to dissaude protestors from dismantling it.
   
A protestor uses a sledgehammer against the government-built wall outside the Israeli embassy. The Israeli ambassador, his family, and entire staff fled the country in the aftermath of the walls destruction and subsequent break-in at the embassy.
   
A protestor holds up the Egyptian flag during a protest in Tahrir Square. The flag, a symbol of pride and hope after the January 25th revolution, is a common sight in stores and at street-corner vendors across the country.