History Today, February 12, 2011: Hosni Mubarak Steps Down From The Chair Of President Of Egypt

Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt for 30 years from 1981 until his ouster in 2011. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Today 11 years ago, or February 12, 2011, President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak resigned after being in power for 30 years. He stepped down from his position as Egypt's number one because he received pressure from his people through a long wave of protests. Egyptians think that their leadership is often problematic. Violence and human rights violations are behind it.

Hosni Mubarak's reign is often labeled the worst period in Egyptian history. It is a reflection of the decay of democracy in Egypt. Cheating in the election for example. Every election is held, fraud always accompanies.

Demonstrations in Tahrir Square, Cairo demanding Hosni Mubarak resign from the position of President of Egypt. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Therefore, Hosni Mubarak and his party are always safe at the helm. Take for example in the 2005 election, Hosni Mubarak's political vehicle, the National Democratic Party, got nearly 69 percent of the votes. That number increased to 81 percent in the 2010 election.

Cheating that makes all Egyptian society furious. Moreover, anyone who opposes him will be removed. Violence is the lesson. Haven't made a sound yet, all kinds of communication funnels have been restricted. Including mass media. The Egyptian people then saw their leader as an authoritarian.

At its peak, the anger of the Egyptian people peaked through social media. the safe protest room was used to rally the masses. Support also increased until finally the Egyptian people united in protest marches to the streets. In which, the bloody protests lasted for days and then resulted in a revolution. Hosni Mubarak was successfully ousted after 30 years in power.

Photo of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in his old age with a female admirer named Helly El-Saadany. This photo dated August 31, 2018 is said to have been leaked to the public after El-Saadany's cellphone was hacked. (Photo: Twitter/@Joyce_Karam/The Times of Israel)

“In this revolution, Egyptian civil society succeeded in overthrowing President Hosni Mubarak who had ruled arbitrarily for 30 years. During that period, Mubarak enacted an emergency law that legitimized the occurrence of arbitrary actions by the state security apparatus, especially the police.”

“Various acts of violence and human rights violations committed by the Egyptian police are documented and widespread in the realm of cyberspace (or the internet) through the use of information and communication technologies (hereinafter referred to as ICTs). Before leaving, Mubarak decided to shut down, namely turning off all internet and communication networks, in order to reduce political dissent, or differences of opinion," concluded Amira Woworuntu in the book Transnationalism (2018).

Hosni Mubarak was born in Kafr El-Meselha, Monufia Province north of Cairo on May 4, 1928. This military officer with the rank of Marshal who was once the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force died in Cairo on February 25, 2020.